Amber Linings
by Ravyn
Summary: Kamiya Kaoru finds herself ensnared in a war between immortal where the rules no longer apply. Trapped by a fanged, amber-eyed man who has not only claimed her, but dominance over her soul, her body and possibly her heart. Darkfic. Re-Posted.
1. Chapter One

When I originally posted Amber Linings back in '03, I was a freshman in college. That was what feels like a lifetime ago (seven years _is_ a lifetime for a writing style). Over a three year period, I ended up writing 13 chapters of the story. Going back and re-reading, it is very easy to mark the different stages of my writing within those chapters. At some point, I lost my drive to write on this story – mostly because I did go back and re-read after I had put it down for a period of time and I wasn't thrilled with my characterization of Kenshin and Kaoru's relationship. This Kenshin was always supposed to be a character study of how a darker, more Battousai version of the Rurouni would react to being a vampire who was encouraged to grow during the Bakumatsu instead of a human boy who had few resources to handle the horror.

But in order to write a story were a relationship was built between Battousai and Kaoru, both of them had to learn how to give – even if it was just with each other. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and the only way I could see the story playing out was if Kaoru broke. _Obviously_, I didn't like that. (Neither did Kenshin-in-my-head.) Battousai was always meant to have a edge of honor that he couldn't shake, no matter how hard he tried; was always meant to have a soft spot for Kaoru he couldn't help that would continue to grow with the influence of her gift on his instincts. So I had three options: try to finish the story the way it was (hate), abandon the story and just leave it (did not want) or take the time to go back and do the major rewrites that it required to make me happy. So that is what I have done. Chapters 1-6 obviously have the most taken out/re-written and changed because they were written so early in my writing career. The rest of the chapters did not require as much work but did require a thread of change that had to be reworked throughout the story. I am much, _much_ happier with how this worked out and have hopes that this change will allow me to finish the story that I started a long, long time ago.

For those of you who love the story in its original form and are not happy with the changes, I have posted the original versions on .Moon. You can find the link in my profile. Just because I wasn't happy with it doesn't mean that someone else isn't and I didn't want to completely destroy those three years of work (seven, almost eight years of someone reading them) without posting it somewhere else that you could enjoy it. It won't be updated. Those 13 chapters will stay the way they are and I won't add the new chapters to that site because obviously, they won't pull together. But they are there for you should you wish to read them. =)

I will be posting the chapters as I finish the final edits. No promises on when an update will happen for the actual story, but once I have all 13 chapters up, that will be something I start working on. I haven't given up on it yet. Thank you _so much_ for your patience.

Ravyn

* * *

Bored amber eyes scanned the thickening crowds milling about the marketplace. How like the humans in this new era to remain so blissfully unaware of the threats that moved so closely to them. They existed in their illusions of safety and daylight… when it would take no more than a flick of his wrist, a small application of strength and they would be gone; snuffed out like they had never existed.

Moving silently through market place, an amused smile curved his lips as some innate instinct had the crowd shifting to make room for him as he passed by. Some days it was amusing to uncloak his presence, to watch the fear flicker across their faces, to see them first take in his slight size, followed by his coloring – dark red hair, yellow eyes – and watch as their faces drain of all color. _Battousai_.

It had been so few years since he had made his mark in the human wars. Few enough years for the humans to remember his name and the edges of rumors… and just long enough for them to forget how dangerous he really was. Humans lived such short, inconsequential lives that a decade was just enough time for them to start believing again in the safety of their world.

But even as the scar on his face faded with did, so did the protections humans thought they had against his kind.

X

"… and that's why we only catch bits and pieces of rumors about where he is. Humans don't particularly pay much attention to anything just outside their senses you know. With the classes breaking down even further and so few interested in actual training, I doubt anyone is going to be able to track him in a few generations."

"_Sano_!" Kaoru scolded as she walked onto the porch. "What did I tell you about making those sorts of stories up? It's bad enough that I have to deal with the two of you. Keep this up and you're going to find yourself working as a storyteller to bring in some extra income."

Sano rubbed the back of his head, looking vaguely sheepish. "Sorry Jou-chan, but frankly, I wasn't storytelling. That's nothing but hard facts. Mostly."

Kaoru quirked an eyebrow, "Sano… I didn't take you as someone who believed in myths."

Yahiko snorted. "It's not a myth. Vampires don't make that type of shit up. Kami _knows_ we've got enough damn horror stories in our clans without having to create proverbial monsters under the bed."

Kaoru stared at them as she settled on the porch, her brows tucked together. For most of her life she had been dealing with vampires and werewolves. Nightfall had long since ceased to be a welcome relief from daylight, but there were some things that she would have preferred to remain unaware of. This was certainly one of them.

Bracing her chin her palm, she frowned at her freeloaders. "So you're saying that Hitokiri Battousai – a _human_ assassin – is one of _yours_. I thought vampires tried to avoid drawing attention to themselves."

Yahiko shook his head. "Not when you're him. You don't have to hide… there's no reason."

Sano nodded his head in agreement, the fish bone bobbing in the corner of his mouth. "I saw him once, back during the heaviest of the fighting. Darkest damn _ki _I've ever seen. It was like watching death move across the battlefield. I kept low and then got the hell out of there."

"But..."

"He is real, that's _all_ you need to know. Anything else might draw his attention."

Kaoru tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and considered the vampires in front of her. Three years ago she had met Yahiko by accident on the way back from training across town, running across a group of men who had cornered a young boy and had been threatening him with sharp pieces of wood. After knocking the antagonists around with her bokken, Kaoru found herself nearly tackled when that same little boy had bared fangs and lunged.

Luckily for her – and unfortunately for Yahiko – vampires have an aversion to wood and she had knocked him out with a clean blow to the head. Before she could figure out what to do with her problem, the tallest man Kaoru had ever seen had walked around the corner. He had taken one long look at the situation and then scooped Yahiko up, asking around the fishbone in his mouth if she had any bandages.

It had taken her a while to realize that the boy wasn't the only one sporting fangs. But by then Sano had introduced himself and explained that the boy was an orphan. Before she had time to assail either of them, he had given her a blood promise not to attack her. For some insane reason, she had decided to believe him and dragged them both home to the dojo. Years later she was still trying to figure out what had prompted that dangerous decision, but neither Yahiko nor Sano had ever really left.

After that she had been dragged – willingly and _unwillingly_ – into enough disputes to have a pretty good handle on what the world was really like. Her life had been constantly threatened by vampires claiming her life forfeit because of her knowledge of their world. Somewhere she had started to teach Yahiko her style of swordplay. Having a vampire pupil and dealing with territorial issues with Sano had done a lot to hone her skills.

There had been complications. Being a vampire made training with bokken and shinai difficult for Yahiko until they had finally developed a pair of gloves to protect his hands and Kaoru was careful with her strikes. She only hit where cloth fell. Yahiko claimed that the close relation to wood would only benefit him over the long run, helping him build tolerance.

It had been three years of learning. Three years of taking what they said at face value and applying shadows to her own life. But this...

Himura the Battousai, the Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu… The terror that had been used to scare petulant children into bed was not only a _man_ of great strength and power, but according to Yahiko and Sano, he was a fanged one as well. That was terrifying.

"But why would anyone from your world care about a simple dispute between humans?" Kaoru asked quietly.

"Blood," Yahiko said flatly. "As Hitokiri he had access to dozens of bodies. You know that we _have_ to feed. For someone like him… holding off his hunger with human food would be unnecessary. During war…. He – well, any of our kind strong enough to hold it – had access to both life blood and death ki. Two very strong temptations. He would have used their abundance to build his power."

The idea of a vampire using death to make himself stronger was not a new one, but she stared at him in surprise anyway.

"But that…"

Sano ran a hand through his hair. "Vampires like that… use death as a stimulant. If you're strong enough to absorb it… you stop losing power. Unlike the rest of us who lose power in-between feeds, the nearly constant presence of blood and death ki would have bought him excessive power. He's a living, breathing nightmare now. He walks in daylight with no fear of retribution because no one can touch him."

Kaoru shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Oh. I hope I never, ever have to deal with anything like him, then. There is no way to kill him?"

"Who the hell would want to try it?" Yahiko snapped. His brows bunched together and he glared at her. "There is one way…"

"What?"

"But it would be fucking stupid to try it!"

Sano looked surprised. "I had forgotten about that."

Kaoru looked from one to the other. "_What_?"

"Do you know anything?" Yahiko demanded in irritation. "Here I thought you were paying attention to our lectures!"

Kaoru glared at him, and fisted her hands on top of her thighs and growled his name in warning. "Ya-hi_-ko_!"

Yahiko glowered at her. "His life bond."

"His _what_?" Kaoru questioned, her brow knitting together in confusion.

"His mate." Sano clarified, looking embarrassed.

Kaoru blinked and then frowned at Yahiko and Sano. Neither of them had been willing to talk about what exactly went into a vampire choosing a mate. Instead she had gotten a muttered run around about gifts and ki and the permanence of it. There didn't seem to be a large number of female vampires… or at least, Kaoru hadn't ever met one. She knew that rarely a human was changed, but it was mostly considered a waste of power and that vampires avoided sharing their beds with humans. She did know that the few children who came of vampire and human relations had been largely responsible for the small groups of human families that hunted vampires.

She had, in fact, saved Yahiko from a group of inexperienced hunters who had caught him between feeds. By giving them a place to stay she kept them from living off the streets and out of the direct fire of those who hunted their kind. In return, they helped out around the dojo, kept the territory around her home free of those that might attack her and kept an eye out for the humans interested in taking over her school.

The most recent of those was a human named Gohei. Sano had beaten him and his goons into the ground early on in their friendship, but the man was persistent and had come back around several more times. With his latest assault Gohei had promised to not only take Kaoru's Dojo, but everything else as well.

She sighed, reaching for the Tofu basket. This was enough to think about for now. It was her turn to head into to town to buy groceries since Yahiko would be cooking dinner.

"Well, now that we have that cheerful talk out of the way, I'm going to do something useful. Like buy tofu. Sano, I trust the yard will be straightened up by the time I return?"

Sano shrugged and stood, hauling Yahiko up with him. "Sure Jou-chan."

Yahiko scowled. "How come we always have to clean the yard?"

Kaoru offered him her sweetest smile. "Because you are the two who always mess it up."

"Whatever!"

Both vampires waited until Kaoru had disappeared through the gate before sitting back down.

"I _still_ think something is up with her, Sano." Yahiko muttered, absently observing the grass threading about the roots of an old Sakura tree on the far side of the yard. "There is something off in her ki."

Sano sighed. "She is _mortal_, Yahiko. We've gone over this. And it's impossible for a mortal to bear a gift, no matter what you think you feel. It takes vampire blood to do that, and there is nothing like that in her scent or taste."

Yahiko sighed. "I thought she was going to kill me for licking that scratch, but we had to make sure. _Still_..." He rubbed the side of his head in remembrance.

Sano smiled grimly. "You're right. We'll just have to watch and see what happens."

X

Glinting cobalt eyes, slightly flecked with violet, watched the humans walk down the streets. His lips curved lightly at the corners, pulling his lips back far enough to show just a glimmer of fang.

"Edo has changed."

His tone spoke of distaste. Tilting his head to one side, he studied the way the humans moved. Heavy footed and without any care of concern for what might be lurking in the shadows.

"All things change, Batts." An amused and cultured lilt murmured back. Tossing back her dark hair, she shrugged. Her dark eyes were weary though, as she turned to face him.

"Perhaps," he mused, dismissing her words as his eyes flickered over the crowd. "Some things are best left unchanged however. It would be such a pity for something to catch them unaware."

"Himura the Battousai has the tendency to catch everyone unaware," she responded, "But there is something _here_... something strong."

Battousai narrowed his gaze and was forced to agree with her assessment. Something was calling him to this city, this hellhole of mortals who lived such a short life span and ruined what little time they had with careless beliefs and ideals. Something was pulsing with power here and he was going to find it and claim it his.

"I am going to look around. Stay out of trouble."

The underlying threat was clear; if she ran into trouble while he was on his hunt, he would not help her. His time was better spent looking for whatever had called them here, for if it drew him then it would surely draw other forces as well. And he did not share.

Megumi nodded in silent agreement. She watched as he walked away, his form blending into the crowd, even with the stark contrast of his red hair and dark clothing. Ten years had changed him so very little. Some days, it was hard to remember when she had met Battousai. She had been a young, idealistic mortal who had strived to be a doctor – and she had paid the price for her compassion. She both cursed and blessed the evening she had found him, prone and unconscious, a cracked wooden beam a silent testimony to what had caused his injury.

Megumi had somehow dragged him to the clinic she worked at and treated his wounds. It wasn't until he had returned to consciousness that she had learned what sort of monster she had saved. A demon – contained and disguised within a delicate and finely wrought frame. He had attacked her and upon waking she had discovered that the pain in her neck had brought heightened senses, a stronger form and a set of fangs.

He had saved her life only because she had saved his. She was his to kill at any moment. Her choices were simple. Do as he told her or she would find out exactly why that simple wooden beam had almost killed him.

It wasn't all terrible. Her love medicine had somehow turned to raw power at her fingertips and she was able to heal with a mere thought instead of the intense labor as before. But there were horrors as well. Dark, terrible horrors that the man she followed lived in.

And yet… Megumi found that even now, she would not leave him.

Death clung to him like an ominous cloud - a gift, he called it, and yet there was a cold, awe inspiring rationalization to his madness, a sense of honor and he was sane. His mind was completely his own. He knew exactly what he did, delighted in it, and fed from it. Calculating madness was there, but no insanity tempered his vision. He saw everything with a stark clarity.

She feared him on many levels, but feared leaving his side more. There was nothing safer than being in the den of the beast, because the beast was supreme for miles around. The only true danger was the beast's teeth and the fact that he could turn on you any day.

X

Kaoru sighed to herself as she carefully made her way about the crowds. The marketplace was full of tension today. And she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Pressing her lips together, she forced herself to ignore it.

She had never gotten around to telling Yahiko or Sano about her past. She couldn't see that any good would ever come of it. They couldn't take on an entire city simply because she felt dread building in the pit of her stomach, warning her that something dangerous was approaching. Yet… she could feel it in the air. Something that hummed like muted voices in her ears…

Some things were better left in the past, after all. Her family was one of them. Most of the locals had never forgotten that her father had taken a woman of unknown origins as his wife. They didn't forget that she had disappeared not long after she had given him a child; and that that child had grown up to inherit the dojo. She was stubborn enough to ignore it and they were stubborn enough to never let her forget it; a single female living with two freeloaders. Her mother's daughter. Gohei's rambles and rumor spreading against her had only agitated the situation.

But today it felt worse. Like something had slithered into the air and stirred hidden anger and aggression. Previously dark glares and snotty comments had been sparked, somehow, into full-blown loathing. There was always some level of hostility. Kaoru had long learned how to avoid the venders who would ignore or overcharge her. She simply squared her backbone and tried again. But today… today it felt _living_.

And something bad was going to happen.

It came in the form of a young, dark eyed girl. Hands propped against her hips, she glared at her with something violent in her eyes. Kaoru braced herself, waiting for the rebuke that would leave her bruised in more ways than one. The words came as expected, the faintly mocking and deliberately cutting words… but it was the hands that caught her in the back that pushed her directly into the crush of the market that caught her off guard.

Stunned at the open aggression, she staggered straight into the street until she rammed into something that felt vaguely like a sturdy tree. Something hard wrapped around her waist, forcing the air from her diaphragm. A deep growl vibrated against her chest and her heart started pounding in her ears.

"Leave."

There might have been a crowd gathering behind her, but she sincerely doubted they lingered long. There had been an edge to that voice that sliced through the air like a blade. The arm around her waist abruptly released her and she was all but peeled away from the man's side.

Blue eyes met amber.

Kaoru froze at the darkness she saw looking back at her. Sano's description mingled with human myth and she suddenly couldn't find any air. His hair was the same color as blood and it fell smoothly around his shoulders from a high topknot. His eyes held hers, narrowed into slits as he studied her.

Then the world began to move around her again. The market had noise. The earth had vibrations. The redheaded man was gone. Reaching down with shaking arms she cradled the tofu bucket against her chest and started home. They would do without tonight. She kept her gaze downward and hidden as she frantically tried to place what had just happened.

Was Battousai really in Tokyo?

X

He watched her move away, noting absently the controlled set of her shoulders. He was more interested in the brightness that seemed to cling to her every move and flicker off her body in soft, gentle swirls. The very life around her seemed to resonate as she passed, as if it was trying to cling to anything she touched.

She was human. It was impossible for her to have a gift.

Dismissing her – blue, _blue_ eyes – he headed back into the streets. It was irritating that someone so small had managed to crash into him, startling him enough that he had allowed his cloak to slip for a single moment so that mortal men could see him.

He would deal with the humans later. It was too easy to mark those who were foolish enough not to guard their _ki_. And later, when he needed to feed...

But for now, there were old friends in town to track down and a hunt to continue.

The only mark of his passage was the faint mingled scent of blood and ginger.

X

Sano frowned when he felt Kaoru approaching. Her ki held the subtle touch of depression but it was colored brightly with anger and frustration. And bewilderment.

"Kaoru?" Yahiko questioned, frowning when he saw the lack of groceries in her arms. Her mouth and the lines around her eyes were tense.

Sano was uneasy as he caught a lingering trace of foreign ki on her skin. Reaching over, he gently swathed her in his own and frowned when, instead of fading as it should have, it pulsed before quietly settling onto her skin, a thin, dark layer of power refusing to allow him contact with her _ki_.

"Jou-chan," Sano questioned, echoing the question Yahiko had asked, his tone worried.

Kaoru gave them a wavering smile, "just some excitement at the market."

Yahiko stared at the now dented tofu bucked.

"Did someone say something to you again?" Sano asked, cracking the knuckles that Kaoru had seen break through rock like it was rice paper.

"Sano," Kaoru said weakly, her eyes pleading to let it drop. She didn't want to lie to her friends, but she was very aware of what would happen if she gave them the answers they were looking for. Kaoru knew from experience he could tell who she had been in contact with during the day and he had no problem bashing human heads together.

She appreciated his big brother attitude, but he had to learn that she could defend her own honor.

"It was nothing to worry about." Kaoru told him, gently placing a hand on his wrist. "Please, let it go."

"You feel funny." Yahiko muttered. "Like you had contact with another Vampire I don't recognize."

Kaoru paled.

Sano reached over and grasped her by the elbow. "_Talk,_ Jou-chan."

Kaoru reached up and rubbed her temples. "I got shoved into someone today, that's all."

"What did the vampire look like?" Yahiko questioned. If there was a new vampire in town they needed to know. Best to give the newbie some warning that trying to eat Kaoru would bring down a heavy price on his head.

"He..." Kaoru's shoulders rounded with defeat. "He had red hair and yellow eyes."

"Please tell me you are just making fun of us because of our stories." Sano said finally, his eyes wide at the corners.

Kaoru shook her head.

"Oh shit." Yahiko breathed. "He hasn't been in these parts for years. I thought he was still out roaming the less populated areas!"

Sano groaned. "We all knew he'd eventually make his way back here. I was hoping Jou-chan here, would be old and decrepit by then."

Yahiko was too bothered by the news to rebuke his friend. "_Damn_."

Kaoru eyed the two men nervously. "What?"

Yahiko sighed. "There is a reason we've been keeping other vampires away from here."

Kaoru grabbed both of them by the ears and marched over to the porch, Yahiko and Sano yelping in pain, and shoved them both down on the steps. Propping her hands on her hips she gave them her most withering glare. "Talk."

"A woman who houses vampires, especially a _human_ woman, will not go unnoticed by anyone here Kaoru." Sano started, rubbing idly at his ear. "He's going to know about you. About us."

Kaoru looked back and forth. "What does that mean?"

The feeling in the pit of her stomach was growing fast and Kaoru plopped down on the porch to ease her trembling legs.

"He will come here." Sano said tiredly. "And he will probably kill you."

Kaoru flinched and curled up to face the setting sun, wondering exactly what she had gotten herself into. "Why?"

Yahiko swallowed hard. "You know about us."

Kaoru swallowed. That wasn't new. She had dealt with vampires before who had tried to kill her for those very same reasons. "But if he is so powerful, why would he bother with me?"

"And us. Don't forget about _us_, 'cause we are the ones who told you." Sano muttered. "We can handle the little peons in this city when they try things but him…"

Kaoru's pensive gaze settled on the duo once more. "What do you mean he will kill you too?"

"We've told you about the… laws Kaoru," Yahiko reminded her. "And we're sort of trudging the edge of them by being here and letting you live. We haven't broken them, _broken them_… but we sort of bent them a little."

"Not only have we told you who we are, we have told you about our world. That's the part that can get us into trouble." Sano informed her, his voice pained.

"Maybe we shouldn't have told you." Yahiko whispered. "But...I, _we_, couldn't help it."

Kaoru knitted her brows together. Rising to her feet she began to pace the porch. "What do you mean?"

"You, Kaoru. Just… _you_. You have this way of looking at people and… _fuck_, it's hard to explain! It's just what it is, okay? And we didn't want to let that go."

"And now we may have gotten you killed."

Yahiko sighed. "I should make dinner."

"Eh?"

Yahiko shrugged, looking defensive. "If he comes, he comes. It won't do us any good to worry about it, and besides, there are more important things for us to deal with in the meantime."

Kaoru blinked. "Such as?"

Sano suddenly looked really, really worried. "Oh shit. Oh _shit_."

"What?"

"Gohei! That little…" he took a deep breath and clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white. He stood up and walked away from the porch, his frame tense.

"Yahiko?"

"Gohei's been spreading rumors." Yahiko said quietly, his eyes almost too wide for his face.

A stone was sinking in the pit of her stomach. "What rumors?"

"That he is Hitokiri Battousai."

"And that he trained at _this_ dojo." Sano said.

Kaoru sank onto the porch, her face pale.

If that didn't bring the real Battousai here, what would?

X

Battousai walked along the thinning streets of Tokyo, keeping his eyes open for anything interesting as he headed back to where he was supposed to meet Megumi. The hotel he had chosen as decent enough for now. He had rented three rooms to keep from being disturbed by loud neighbors. There were ways to shut them up but he didn't particularly care to expend that amount of energy.

Maybe it was time to start looking into a place here as well.

But not tonight. Tonight there were other reasons to be irritated. He fully expected humans to forget, but for his fellow vampires to do the same… his lips curled at the edges. It wouldn't be a mistake they would make twice. But what he wanted to know was the meaning behind the half-heard whispers that had seemed to follow him.

No one had died by his sword since his arrival in Tokyo. Yet, the low born filth seemed to believe that he had been killing off worthless humans for sport. While an amusing notion, it was not one he ever particularly indulged in. Humans were good for an easy meal, nothing more and nothing less. To slaughter them helplessly was as interesting as slaughter sheep. This was why he was meeting back up with Megumi, to see if she had gained any useful information.

Megumi looked up as he entered her expression pensive.

"Batts."

"What have you learned?"

"There are lots of rumors. But the most interesting has to do with you."

He lifted a brow, leaning his back against the door frame. "Oh?"

The darkness crowding in his eyes gave her tongue speed. "There is a human who is claiming to be Hitokiri Battousai."

Battousai looked unmoved. It wasn't the first imposter and it wouldn't the last.

"However… he is claiming that he belongs to a school of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. It is apparently a sword that gives life instead of taking it." Megumi let her amusement show.

He looked bored. "Is there a point to this, Megumi?"

Megumi leaned forward. "Here is the best part - the Kamiya Dojo is just a few blocks from here and guess what is living there?"

He raised a brow in question.

"Two vampires and a human girl. And not only is this girl _human_, but she teaches the sword style herself and the 'Battousai' has sworn not only to kill her, but to 'reclaim' the school for himself."

Battousai narrowed his eyes and watched the sun sink below the tree line. "Then I think we need to go and pay a visit to this Dojo."

Megumi smiled, her eyes gleaming. "If you say so, Batts."

X

Kaoru sighed in relief as she stepped out of the furo. Full darkness was falling quickly but someone had been nice enough to leave a lantern on the porch. While neither of them had any trouble seeing in the dark, they had slowly fallen into the habit of remembering that she had limitations that they didn't.

For one, her stomach wasn't made of iron.

Yawning behind her hand, she forced herself not to think of the conversations from earlier. She couldn't solve anything and she refused to work herself into a state. Running her hands through her damp bangs, she moved as silently as she could through the dojo. Sliding her door open, she headed over to her little stand where she kept her comb. Before she could curl her fingers around the familiar brush, something prickled along the nerves of her neck. Twisting around, she froze at the sight that greeted her.

The man from the market stood in the half-lit shadows.

His eyes were a backlit gold, hidden by bangs of dark crimson and his hair was pulled into the same high tail that cascaded down his back and shoulders. Next to him stood the most beautiful woman Kaoru had ever seen, her hair a slick dark brown, framing cinnamon eyes that glittered with something sharp.

"Kamiya Kaoru?" His voice was liquid silk and shadows; his finely-wrought mouth curling into a malevolent taunt.

"Yes?" Kaoru hesitantly answered her voice unflinching even as her knees trembled.

"Good." The faint echo of an unsheathing blade rung in her ears as he blurred.

X

Yahiko frowned as he entered the Dojo's yard, his eyes widening at the burst of _ki_. He sent Sano a look of pure panic and received an answering expression.

"He's here." Sano hissed, his face going pallid, his lips bloodless in fright.

They moved as one, both knowing they were already too late, but hoping against logic that they could arrive... that they had enough time to save her. Yahiko prayed.

* * *

_**Please Comment**_


	2. Chapter Two

Re-posted: 11-4-10

* * *

Kaoru had never seen anything – other worldly or human – move as fast as the red-haired vampire in her bedroom. Between one heartbeat and the next, her spine slammed into the wall and the sharp edge of a naked blade was pressed flat against the rapid pulse at her throat. She hadn't had time to react.

Kaoru's wide blue eyes, dark with fear stared into a flat gaze. Hard topaz jewels that held neither feeling nor emotion, just a steady burning fire that threatened to consume everything in its path. Her breathing went ragged as she held his eyes. And she couldn't look away. She tried, but something inside her refused to back down.

If she was going to die, she was going to do so on her terms.

"Braver than most."

His words rumbled in her ears, low and amused. His eyes showed none of the emotions she could hear in his tone and sweat rolled down the back of her neck. She shuddered in terror at the slow smile that curled away from his fangs and the sound of footsteps against the wood floors of her dojo had the blood freezing in her veins.

'_Oh, please no.'_

He spoke half a second after the door slammed open.

"Take but another step and I'll cut her throat."

Kaoru was certain Sano had never reacted so quickly in his life. One hand grabbed Yahiko's Gi and the other grabbed the doorframe to check their combined momentum. Both stopped with a sudden motion that gave the younger of the two a case of whiplash.

"Battousai," Sano growled, his voice harsher than Kaoru remembered it being. His casual air of nonchalance had disappeared, stripped away to leave behind the edges of his vampirism that she had only seen a handful of times.

"Good. Then you know who I am." Battousai responded, "its saves me from having to give introductions." As he spoke, he kept his eyes locked on Kaoru, either not caring that his back was to Yahiko and Sano or arrogant enough to believe they would stay still.

"Megumi," Battousai addressed the woman Sano hadn't noticed till he spoke, "Are they armed?"

Megumi allowed an amused smirk to cross her thin lips. "No Batts, nothing on them. Although the taller one wears bandages around his right hand, implying a constant use; probably fist fighting."

Battousai acknowledged her by suddenly twisting and sending Kaoru flying forward. She managed to twist herself around before she hit Sano's broad frame. The wind was knocked clean out of her lungs and she gasped silently as she tried to breath in some air.

"Sit. All of you."

Yahiko bristled, but Sano quieted him with a hard glare. Yahiko sat down hard, his face mutinous and frightened. He still managed to glare at the short man who had invaded their home. He hadn't expected him to be so small or to have hair that damn bright. But that impossibly strong, dark _ki_ that spoke of death clung to him like a second skin. Just as Sano had described it.

"Such idiocy this group displays." Battousai mused as he seated himself on the edge of Kaoru's futon with the grace of a cat. "Your shows of displeasure do not aid you."

To everyone's surprise it wasn't Sano, but Kaoru who replied to that. "Stupid, yes, but if you're going to kill us at least it will be by our own actions and not someone else's whims."

Battousai laughed. Kaoru flinched into Sano. When he finished, a lazy, mocking smile curled his lips.

"And you think you will die tonight, little human?"

Kaoru jerked her chin up, not trying to hide her fear or disgust. This… was _supremely_ stupid. "I know the stories and I know that you do little else. What other purpose would you have for coming here?"

He blurred. In the next second she had been jerked forward by the front of her yukata until they were once again nose to nose, his yellow gaze burning into her. "Never assume what I shall do, human. Death is the _least_ of your concerns."

Suddenly she was grasped from behind and ripped backwards.

"Leave her out of this, Battousai." Sano demanded his voice sharp with concern.

Battousai merely leaned back with a smirk, eyes lazily sliding down her body before returning to her face, the edges of his mouth curled into a malicious smile. Kaoru jerked the edges of her sleep wear back together and glared at him.

"As I was saying," he said, his eyes gliding over the defiant expression of Yahiko and Sano. "Is that I have not come for your deaths, but for an entirely different reason."

Sano stiffened.

"I am here to claim insult and take possession of not only this dojo, but all its occupants."

Kaoru flinched against Sano as if she had been shot.

"What?" Her words were ground out between her teeth as she struggled to reign in her temper. Attacking him would have been even _stupider_ than what she was already doing.

Sano moved quickly, wrapping his much stronger arms around Kaoru's small frame protectively.

Battousai smiled languidly at the furious girl, Megumi's laughter a soft echo behind him.

"Claim insult little human, it's my right."

Yahiko choose that moment to speak. "She is not a vampire."

He shrugged, his aura darkening to a pitch color, "She knows of our world and is therefore subject to our rules, isn't that why you wished to keep her from those who have the power to make such declarations?"

Kaoru allowed herself to still in Sano's arms as the horror of the situation dawned on her. Her family's dojo, her father's sword technique, was being claimed by nothing short of a monster.

Not while she had breath.

"No." Kaoru responded. She almost shrank when she saw the look in his eyes change from faintly amused to cold calculation.

"No?" His tone had hardened to match his gaze, but Kaoru refused to back down. Something writhed under her skin and she found herself unable to hold back her words.

"No."

"And how exactly do you plan on stopping me little human?" He was close again, close enough for the edges of his _ki_ to brush hers causing her to shudder, something inside of her was both repelled and attracted by the darkness he seemed to hold in his body.

Kaoru jerked her chin up. "You have no right to claim insult against me."

He stepped back then, his eyes suddenly switching from frozen ice to amused flames.

"No? Tell me, little human, is it not your school that claims my name and brands me as not only a 'sword that protects,'" The disgust in his voice set Kaoru's temper on edge again, "But also aligns me with humans?"

Kaoru refused to be baited. "I never claimed such a thing, Battousai, and do not hold that you go to my school or ever shall." Her eyes narrowed. "What _possible_ _interest_ could you have in my family's style of teaching?"

Kaoru let out a sharp squeak when she was suddenly yanked forward against a hard chest, her eyes catching the sight of red a single second before a sharp pressure on her neck told her of his intentions.

Battousai carefully extended enough pressure to make her uncomfortable, delighting in the rapid beat of her heart and the ragged pattern of her breathing. And yet, her body was stiff in his arms, her muscles straining as she tried to push away from him. He had met and killed those whose skills were far beyond hers, who were far more beautiful… and who certainly had more of a right to live than a mere human. And she knew it, on some level. Yet, here she was, trembling in fear and refusing to bend to the pressure of his _ki_ against her own.

How amusing.

Then he felt it.

Something flickered across her _ki_. It was vibrant and strong enough to catch his attention. Testing a theory, he leaned over and caught her ear with a fang. She jerked against him and the spark in her _ki_ slapped against his in warning.

How interesting. In a _human_, of all things.

"You are pushing lines that are not yours to tread." He warned her, his hot breath puffing across her ear. Deliberately he let his lips brush her skin with each word and she wiggled against him.

Kaoru struggled as much as she was able before his hands tightened. "I will not let you destroy my father's life's work."

Sano restrained Yahiko, who was furiously attempting to get to the girl held so carefully in Battousai's hands. There was something odd about the two, as if their _ki_ repelled and attracted each other.

"If you get yourself killed, Kaoru will be pissed and do something stupid." Sano warned. It wasn't as if Jou-chan hadn't already done something stupid, challenging Battousai could be considered _immensely_ stupid, but there was something that was… off about the whole situation.

Kaoru stumbled and tripped over the edge of the futon when he suddenly pushed her away from him. She landed in a heap next to Sano, blue eyes large in her face.

"Well then, if you will not let me claim insult on your dojo… I won't."

Sano froze. Then his heart sank at the next words than fell from the vampire's lips.

"I'll simply claim you."

X

Yahiko leaned back against the chest that Kaoru kept her clothes in, hands clenched tightly in his lap. Kaoru seemed oblivious except for the signs of strain that not even sleep had erased from her face. Battousai had left not long after his declaration of ownership, leaving behind a stunned and silent Kaoru. Unfortunately, the closing of the door seemed to have snapped her out of her dazed state and it had taken both Sano and Yahiko sitting on her to keep her from going after the red-haired man. The obscenities she had been snarling under her breath could have gotten them all killed but the vampire never returned.

Yahiko wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed. "He is baiting her. Why?"

"I don't know." Sano muttered, his eyes watching Kaoru breathe, the gentle rise and fall of her chest. It had been a sound that had brought much comfort to him many nights past, but this night it only brought a reminder of the danger she was now in.

"Why would he claim her?" Yahiko questioned tiredly. Reaching up he rubbed his upper lip, trying to ignore the tingling that demanded he feed soon.

"I'm not sure Yahiko, but I think he sees the same thing in Kaoru that we do." Sano replied carefully. "And I think he is curious."

_'Hopefully nothing more_.'

"I need to feed." Yahiko said finally, mouth set in a hard line. Sano rubbed his jaw and silently agreed with him. The amount of energy they had been throwing in this Gohei plot and then the antics tonight had left him feeling empty. They both needed blood.

Sano stood and pulled Yahiko up with him. "Battousai and his pet have left and I doubt anything is going to happen to her if we leave her here for a few hours."

'Even if he comes back what the hell can we do?'

Yahiko hesitated as he looked at Kaoru's peaceful face. "What if he comes back before we get here?"

"I hate to say it Yahiko, but we can't do a hell of a lot to protect her even if we are here. Besides, for now, he's toying with her. I don't think he plans on killing her just yet."

'Especially if their _ki_ is anything to judge them on… what the _fuck_ was that?'

Yahiko finally nodded and followed Sano out of the Dojo grounds.

X

Kaoru waited till she felt the last of the Sano's _ki_ disappear before she rose to her feet and swiftly changed into her practice clothing. She supposed what she had been doing could have been considered some kind of lying… but by the kami, she needed to work out some of her tension before she exploded. She almost snapped her hakama strings her hands were shaking so badly. She needed to push her muscles until they burned, needed to feel the weight of wood in her hands.

Walking over, Kaoru grasped the bokken she favored and headed toward the dojo. Carefully she scanned the dojo grounds before jogging across the open courtyard and into the dojo. Sliding the door shut behind her, she lit a single candle and started to work. She didn't intend to stop until the candles spluttered out.

Sweating and hot, she eventually stood in the dark and finally felt stable enough to consider what she had gotten herself into. Battousai claimed that he owned her. Kaoru's eyes narrowed in frustration. There was nothing she could do to challenge him. He was so much stronger than even her boys. This was no Gohei who chose to fight with cheap tricks and brute force, but a so-called Vampire Lord who held far too much trickery behind his gaze.

"For a human, you have some skill with the bokken."

The words came from nowhere and were laced with an amused contempt that had every hair on the back of her neck lifting. Twisting around, she found herself facing the dark-eyed female who traveled with Battousai. Unease flickered through.

"You should be frightened, _human_. I know not which kami chose to spare your life, but it will not hold its hand on you forever. Batts is not known to let your kind to live for long."

Kaoru glared back fiercely, her already strained temper snapping in hot anger. Kaoru was startled when she felt something slither through her veins… and the shadows were suddenly a lot clearer. Startled, her gaze flickered to the widening eyes of the vampire in front of her. Swallowing her sudden apprehension, she let her temper cover her fear. She shifted her feet and held the tip of her bokken up in warning as the woman moved forward.

"Do not threaten my family." Kaoru warned her voice low, backed with the steel.

Megumi narrowed her dark gaze. "Is that a threat?"

"I may not be able to fight either you or him on terms of strength or speed, but there are other ways."

Megumi made as if to slap her, but long fingers wrapped around her wrist. The woman backed down, but her lips where pulled into a tight line.

"Don't touch her."

His tone was almost mild but there was an edge to it. It wasn't until the vampire woman hissed that Kaoru realized that the darkness there wasn't meant for her. Swallowing, she moved uneasily when Megumi disappeared, leaving her with Battousai.

"Threatening Megumi isn't a wise course of action." His hot breath brushed her ear. Kaoru flinched forward. How had he gotten behind her? _When_ had he gotten behind her?

A long arm wrapped around her waist halted her forward movement; Kaoru shuddered in a reaction born by sudden fear.

"You should fear me little human." Battousai breathed in her ear; his lips so close they brushed her skin.

Kaoru twisted, bringing the blunt end of her Bokken into his chest, forcing herself out of his arms. She yelped when she was slammed forward by the back of her neck, her arms bracing her hit against the wall of the dojo. Her bokken clattered against the floor as he forced her neck to arch under his grip.

"That almost hurt."

He breathed the words against the skin of her neck and she shuddered in revulsion even as her brain quickly ran over what he said. It seemed even the untouchable Battousai was susceptible to the pain of wood and Kaoru figured she must have, on some stoke of luck, hit skin.

"It was supposed to." Kaoru ground out, her words coming out pain filled.

"You are _owned_ by me now." He reminded her, his tone edged. "Get used to it."

"No."

The word was torn from her against her will and she gasped as he forced her spine to arch – or her neck to snap. It was difficult to breathe and she was staring to see spots. In response, whatever it was that had been crawling across her skin _writhed_ and she almost fell to the floor when he dropped her.

There was a long pause and then his low, amused voice broke the silence. "I suggest you get some sleep. Tomorrow you will have much to do."

Kaoru wrapped her arms around herself, wincing at the pain in her shoulder and neck. Why had he let her go? Shaking hands reached over and awkwardly picked up her bokken. The trip back to her room was a full out retreat.

Battousai watched the human as she disappeared into her room and looked down at his hand, the way he could still feel energy crawling across his skin in warning.

Whatever it was that was in her, it responded to his touch. His threat to dominate her body had brought it out this time… he was curious if there were other ways to bring this pulsing energy to the surface. There was something amiss about this Kamiya Kaoru and once he found out what it was…

Once he knew what it was it was a matter of breaking it to his will or removing it entirely. But for now his claim on her skin and scent would keep any under class vampire from trying to take what was his.

X

Gohei flexed his damaged hand, starring at the dojo in front of him with narrowed eyes. Not long, now. Not long at all.

'Revenge.'

X

Sano yawned as he watched Yahiko stir the morning rice, his hair sticking in gravity defying manner that had prompted his nickname. "How much longer?"

"Would you rather cook this?" Yahiko demanded, his eyes wandering to the pot of boiling soup.

"And why does the girl not cook it?" The voice Sano had come to associate with Megumi slid over his senses and he had to clench his fists to keep from reacting.

"Because we don't want to have to deal with the consequences if she accidentally kills you," Yahiko said angrily.

Sano turned, his normal cocky grin falling into place. Battousai scared the shit out of him, but this woman... he knew how to handle broads. "See that patch of dirt where nothing grows? That is the leftovers from her last attempt at Miso."

Sano lurched forward as something heavy, Kaoru's fist he suspected, crashed into the back of his head. "It's also where I am going to bury you, _tori-atama_, if you don't shut up."

Sano rubbed the back of his in annoyance more than pain and turned to his landlady.

"Watch it Jou-chan, that actually hurt."

Kaoru glared at him. "Next time it will be two chopsticks I am going to shove..."

"Enough."

Kaoru pressed her lips into a flat line; her shoulders tense. Yahiko served the meal a few moments after that. In an attempt to ignore the dark aura that had settled over the table Sano decided to question Kaoru on her activities for the day.

"I have to go teach at the dojo across town." Kaoru said simply, refusing to offer anything more than that with a calculating gold gaze carefully watching them all.

Kaoru disappeared quickly after the meal was finished. The sound of the outer gate opening and closing was almost too loud in the kitchen and Yahiko gripped his knuckles together tightly under the table.

Battousai for his part seemed amused by the situation. Half-lidded eyes studied them.

"Strength," He murmured, his eyes landing on Sano before switching to Yahiko. The edges of his mouth curled just enough to show a hint of his fangs. "Foresight."

"Death." Sano said flatly.

"Close enough," Battousai said, unconcerned.

"Why did you bring Kaoru into this?" Yahiko question angrily.

"She brought herself into this." Battousai said mildly.

"That didn't give you the right to claim her." Sano remarked his eyes hard. He may have been born with the gift of strength, but he was no match for the power he could feel coiling inside the vampire in front of him.

"I always claim what is mine." He stood, dusting the back of his legs. "Come, we will see if we can find this Gohei and deal with him accordingly."

Neither man stood. "Or we can stay here and when Kaoru comes back we can find out how many ways a bone can break before there are far too many pieces to be break again."

Battousai smirked when he felt them move in behind him, their _ki_ glowing hot with anger.

X

Kaoru walked back into her dojo, her face furious. "Damn it!"

She leaned against the porch and pressed her knuckles to her forehead, taking deep even breaths. She would not cry. Not over this. She had arrived at the dojo only to find that she was not wanted. She could handle that. It was the accusations that her students were killers that hurt so damn bad.

She had to get control of herself. She had to think. Without the additional income things would be tight. She needed to figure out a way to supplement the meager yen she had been bringing in by teaching. And she needed to do it… Her thought process died as the sun was blocked from her back. A second later a large, meaty hand fell on her shoulder.

"So, Kamiya, you're finally alone."

She barely had time to bring her bokken up. The edge of his katana bit into her shoulder and her bokken was ripped out of her hand. Before she could roll away from him to regroup, his meaty hand grabbed the back of her gi. Lifting her off her feet, he shook her like a puppy.

"You will sign the papers this time, Kamiya." Gohei's face was twisted into a sneer. "Yes… I think you will."

Kaoru struggled furiously. "I will do no such thing."

"But there is no one here to protect you from my men this time." He shifted to the side, allowing her to see the six or seven filthy, travel stained men who where leering at her.

"Men who have not seen a woman for a long time and none as clean as you."

X

Battousai frowned as felt a shift in the air, a slight change that the he couldn't exactly place. Turning he left his companions behind easily as he melted into the crowd.

"Where the _hell_ is he going?" Yahiko growled to the woman beside him, his dislike of her bright in his voice.

"Batts does what he wants to do. We have our orders." Megumi replied as she moved like silk along the streets. "I suggest you do as he said or it's the life of not only you but that human as well."

Sano let out a low growl before stalking after her.

Yahiko frowned as something tickled in his mind before a sharp image of Kaoru being thrown into someone crossed his vision.

"Kaoru's in trouble." Yahiko breathed before turning toward the Dojo, only to be stopped by Megumi.

"We have our orders." Megumi snapped back, her eyes narrowed. "It's your death wish.

Sano bared his teeth at her in warning reaching out and grabbing her wrist. Yanking her against his chest, he snarled down at her. "Kaoru matters more than orders. Don't think for one second she doesn't."

X

Kaoru shut her eyes in an attempt to block out the sight in front of her. Gohei was all but taunting them with her body. The sound of seams popping in her shoulder had her wincing. Twisting around, she swung her foot out in an attempt to catch Gohei in the groin. No way was she going to be raped without a fight. But was saving herself worth her father's dojo?

Her kick hit thin air and Gohei laughed. She could feel his muscles bunching to throw her among the men and she readied herself grimly.

"Let her go."

Kaoru's eyes widened at the tone in _that_ voice. It was coldly furious and there was darkness like an edge. She shivered.

"With pleasure," Gohei responded before tossing her into the nearest man, Kaoru gasped for air as his putrid smell filled her nose. Hot hands pushed at her hips and up her waist until she was jerked away by her hair. She bit her cheek hard to keep from crying out as she crashed into a body that smelled of blood and ginger.

"Who do you think you are, shrimp?" Gohei demanded angrily, towering over them both.

Gohei started when the stranger tossed his bangs back to show dark gold eyes that were burning in anger.

"Battousai!" Gohei breathed in surprise.

He smirked. "Good. Then you'll know why you died. No one touches what is mine."

Kaoru shuddered at his tone, her eyes wide as he reached for the katana at his hip.

"And make no mistake." Battousai said quietly, anger sharp in his tone, "She _is_ mine."

'All of her.'

X

A hooded and cloaked figure watched the scene, his dark red eyes bleeding with interest.

"Then shall you protect her from me as well, Battousai? Will you get angry?"

* * *

_**Please Comment**_


	3. Chapter Three

Re-posted: 11-4-10

* * *

Kaoru had no idea what was going on. Battousai was… she did not want to call it protecting, but it was most certainly _something_. It reminded her of the wolves in Honshu and Hokkaido… and the stories of the lengths they would go to protect their kills. The thought made her feel a little nauseous.

Kaoru could tell the men were terrified. Gohei's face had bleached of all color, but the longer he stood there watching, the more he seemed to regain his confidence. She knew Battousai was short and that Gohei was _thick_, but how could he miss the sheer killing intent radiating off of the smaller man? It froze her insides and made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

"How pathetic," Battousai's lips brushed the ridge of her ear and she jumped, but he easily held her.

Gohei pulled himself up to his full height and stared down at the vampire with tight features. "What are you doing here?"

Battousai's lips curved against her ear. "I don't believe that you should concern yourself with my motives, _human_."

Kaoru froze at the soft menace in his tone, the way he curled the word 'human' off his tongue like a curse. The wind tossed his hair into her eyes and mouth and she wiggled to get some space. His fingers flexed against her waist in warning and she stilled again. A flicker of motion out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. To her relief, Yahiko and Sano skidded through the gate, looking worried. Megumi walked up at a much slower pace.

"Gohei," Sano snarled, his eyes narrowed.

Yahiko's eyes were wide. "Kaoru?"

"I am fine, Yahiko." Kaoru assured him, ignoring the painful throbbing of her shoulder.

Battousai angled his head to study her from under his lashes before he gave her a rather hard push back at Sano.

"Don't think about leaving." He warned the fighter. "I am much faster than you could ever hope to be."

Kaoru twisted her neck back around to see him slide into a pose she recognized instantly. _Battojutsu_. Except she had never seen a stance so effortless. Her eyes widened as he blurred, the hard ring of steel leaving its sheath echoing the first arc of blood. The first few victims didn't even realize they had lost an arm or leg before they were falling to the ground. Then they screamed.

It wasn't death so much as it was mutilation. She could hardly look away, eyes wide and frightened as she watched him dispatch the men in her yard like they were animals. Sano said her name in a low, guttural voice and she turned and buried her face into his chest to hide from the sight.

The screams were terrible. She could feel the echoes of them in her bones no matter how hard she pressed against Sano. The sound of steel thudding into bone and slashing flesh had her clenching her fists into Sano's jacket. Before she could decide to run from the noises herself, Sano had her in his arms and was moving towards the dojo.

Peeking over the top of Sano's shoulders Kaoru watched as Battousai reached Gohei. The man appeared to have wet himself and was standing with his sword trembling in his hands. Kaoru did not see what happened next, Sano moved around the wall of the dojo too quickly, but she heard the scream. It lasted longer than any of the others.

X

Yahiko watched Sano move back into the dojo and shuddered. The smell of blood was almost overpowering the fear and his gums hurt with the force he was exerting to hold in his fangs. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he lifted his eyes away from the bodies to find Battousai watching him.

Lowering his eyes, he quietly began to stack the remains to be removed after dark. It would do little good to get rid of them now when anyone could see, but they needed to be out of the immediate line of Kaoru's sight.

"How did you know?"

Battousai studied the youth for a long moment, eyes narrowed into hard angles before he lifted his blade to his mouth and ran his tongue along the steel. Yahiko shivered.

"It doesn't matter."

Battousai's voice was flat and dark, unwelcoming further questions. Sheathing his sword, he walked back into the dojo. But it did matter. It mattered a lot. Someone who could kill as easily as Battousai did was a vampire who had no business with _their_ Kaoru.

X

Kaoru slapped at Sano's arm, scowling up at him. "It's fine. It doesn't even hurt."

'_Much_.'

A strong, long fingered hand closed around her uninjured arm and she was jerked around so that her heels were off the floor. She gasped in surprise at the expression on Battousai's face. His pupils were pinpricks and there was almost a lazy expression on his face.

"Liar."

She struggled in his grasp and his hand tightened. She didn't appreciate his accusation or the way he felt he could simply haul her around by her hair. And she couldn't seem to control her tongue around him.

"I'm _not_ lying."

He lifted a brow, eyes sweeping over her face. Their faces were so close together due to their similarity in height that she could feel his hot breath against her face. Then the corner of his mouth tilted at the edge. He let go of her uninjured arm and grabbed the other by the elbow before spinning her around, twisting her arm up behind her back. The stress on the cut caused it to start bleeding again and she stubbornly refused to let the tears that sprang to her eyes fall.

"Does that hurt, little human?"

"It wouldn't hurt if you hadn't twisted it!" She ground the words out because his tone demanded an answer. She knew she was pushing a line with him, could feel it in the way he was holding her arm and the tight, thin lipped expression on the female vampire's mouth. In retaliation, he pressed into her back and swamped her with the weight of his _ki_. Kaoru suddenly couldn't breathe. It was like being wrapped in cold and an aching, endless darkness that pulled at her skin and hair. Shuddering, she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

His breath ghosted across her ear and she struggled against the urge to fight him. She was sure she had already antagonized him enough.

"I have been generous so far in dealing with you." His voice was almost gentle and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Do not lie to me again."

Kaoru wasn't sure how long she stayed there, her muscles locked together to keep from trembling, white faced with strain and a touch of fear, his breath ghosting down the back of her neck before Megumi interrupted them.

"Batts?"

Battousai moved away from her and she had to lean against the wall to keep from sinking to the floor.

"Tend to her arm."

She didn't move again until the pressure in the hallway disappeared, marking Battousai's exit. Breathing deeply to center herself, she pushed away from the wall only when she was sure her knees wouldn't give out.

Megumi was standing a foot away, her lips pursed together in disapproval. She motioned with one, long fingered hand. "Come here."

Kaoru stared at her suspiciously and the vampire compressed her lips.

"If I don't heal you, Batts will not be pleased and I will not be punished because you're afraid. You will either let me heal you or I will heal you without your consent."

Kaoru glared but took the step forward. "I am not afraid."

Megumi said nothing to that. Instead, she laid her hand across the cut in her shoulder. The throbbing sting disappeared in a matter of moments. Kaoru stared at her in surprise, eyes wide.

"Your gift?"

Megumi's lips twisted into a frown. Opening her mouth to express her disapproval at such a question, her hand snapped back at the sudden sensation of power moving along Kaoru's skin. Narrowing her gaze, she stared at the human who looked suddenly nervous.

"Are you _sure_ you're human?" The words were meant to hurt, to cause doubt, but as soon as Megumi said them she heard a ring of truth to her voice and took a step back. Kaoru stared at her, eyes wide and dark.

"Yes."

Her words were softer than she had intended and there was a note of doubt creeping into her voice that she did not like. So she raised her chin and tried again. "_Yes_."

Megumi finally gave a half shrug, her mouth curled into a mocking smile. Lifting one brow up in silent disbelief, she turned on her heel and disappeared down the long hall. Amused at the vaguely uneasy expression on the human's face, she failed to notice she was in the presence of another vampire until a hand clamped down on her arm.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?"

Megumi tossed her hair and stared up at the tall vampire. "I'm not pulling anything, Sanosuke. What type of idiot are you? You can't feel the power in her blood?"

Sano's eyes narrowed into slits. "Bullshit. Jou-chan is _human_. And she is going to _stay that way._"

"Oh, part of her is human… I'll give you that. But how much? And I don't think you're going to have much say in whether she stays that way or not. Do you really think Battousai would be interested in a mere, weak human?"

Sano's hand tightened on her arm and he leaned forward. "Be careful, Megumi. I'll kill you to protect her if I must."

Megumi lifted a cool brow. "Be as that may, there is something in that wretched human girl's blood. And it's strong. Strong enough to catch his attention and that's _all_ you need to know. He will either control it or he'll eliminate it."

Sano snarled at her and she ripped her arm free. Tossing her hair, she pinned him with her own glare. "Don't touch me again."

Sano smirked. "Or what?"

Megumi smiled serenely at him. "Ask yourself what _my_ gift is."

Sano clenched his teeth as he watched her walk away. The long fall of her hair contrasted nicely with the swing of her hips and it was with some control that he pulled himself back to the matter at hand. Twisting around, he stomped outside to where he could feel Yahiko. He was certain he wasn't the only one who needed to relieve some stress.

Kaoru would be safe enough here. Only a fool with a death wish would strike at the dojo now, with Battousia's _ki_ lingering everywhere he could feel.

Kaoru was _human_. There was no way anyone who burned so brightly against his _ki_ – against his own gift – so humanly, could have vampire blood in their veins. Even _if _her ability to touch people could _almost_ be a gift, even _if_ her looks where unnatural for a mortal. It didn't _matter_, Kaoru had been raised in the mortal world and that was where she was going to stay.

He would damn well make sure of it.

X

Kaoru was determined to ignore the faint, bitter scent of blood the afternoon breeze hadn't completely dissipated. Blowing angrily at her bangs, she forcefully scrubbed at the stubborn grains of rice that refused to dislodge from the bowl she was holding. What she really wanted to do was go crawl into her futon and hide or find something to beat up.

What, exactly, was going on? She was certain his little flashes of 'concern' were some elaborate step to some game he was playing, she just didn't know what. As far as she knew, Yahiko and Sano were numbered among the few vampires who actually cared about humans for whatever reasons. She wasn't stupid enough to think that her friends weren't getting something out of their friendship. But that was what all relationships were about. Give and Take.

She _sincerely_ doubted that Battousai followed those ideals. Or even knew they existed.

As for everyone else…

She clenched her fists around the bowl in the sink and bit her lip. Sano had apparently forgotten that the dojo had very thin walls. Rice paper didn't do much for stifling conversations, even ones that were being hissed. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

Megumi actually thought something inside her wasn't human. And she didn't know what to think about that. Part of her wanted to deny those words out right, snarl back that she was human – oh kami, _wasn't she_? – and that they were wrong. Except… she opened her eyes and stared down into the sink. Except when Battousai touched her she could feel something shifting along her awareness. Something that hadn't been there before Battousai decided to 'take over' her dojo… but something about it…

Except she knew – _she knew_ – her parents had been human!

Reaching up, she rubbed her forehead with a soapy hand. And then there was Battousai. Why was he here? What were his motives? Surely he wasn't so bored that he would spend his time taunting a mere human. She knew the prejudices that came with that world, knew the innate dislike of humans beyond their value as meals, _knew it_.

So why was he here?

And why did he affect her rational ability to _think_ so easily? Slapping the top of the water, she reached back into the washbasin and started scrubbing again. She knew better than to challenge a vampire. She knew better than to argue back. And she couldn't control herself. Every time he watched her from under those dark lashes with those damn eyes, she wanted to push him.

She was going to get herself killed. Every encounter left her feeling raw and on edge. There was something so undefined about his presence. The thick, encompassing feel of his ki that she could sense radiating off his skin was so damn cold.

Her lips twisted. It didn't help that he was so damn pretty.

And his eyes…

She _hated_ her reactions to him.

Curling her fingers tightly around the cup in her hand, she dunked it forcibly in the rinse water before she took several long breaths. She knew he was doing those things on purpose… breathing on her neck and ear, pushing himself so close she could feel every line of him…

The cup in her hand snapped under the pressure she was exerting and Kaoru gasped in surprise and pain. Blood stained the rinse water and she grabbed her hand, curled around it protectively while she looked for something to wrap it in. Blood spilled down her wrist and she swore under her breath. Blood in a house full of vampires was just asking for trouble.

Reaching for a clean square of cloth, her fingers paused inches from the material. She stared down at the hand holding her good wrist and swallowed, hard. Slowly she lifted her eyes to find Battousai looking at the blood dripping down her wrist and arm with heavily lidded eyes. Intently his eyes roved up her arm, over the front of the kimono she was wearing, until yellow eyes met hers.

She froze at the expression in them.

The edges of his mouth curled just enough to show the tips of his fangs and then his free hand curling around her other wrist. His eyes still locked onto hers, he tugged her forward and lifted her arm to his mouth.

And very deliberately licked.

Lips curling against her arm, he delicately dragged a fang along the sensitive skin under his mouth. She flinched against him and that seemed to amuse him.

"Must I watch you all the time?" The tip of his tongue stroked along her skin and across another rivulet of blood. The air suddenly seemed a lot harder to breath in, as if her lungs couldn't quite manage it. Another brush of his tongue and her knees wobbled.

"Perhaps I should confine you somewhere more… _appropriate_… since you seem to be unwilling to keep yourself from harm."

The soft edge of his voice had her tugging away from his mouth. His grip on her wrists tightened to an almost painful degree and she stilled.

"No?"

She had to work to get enough moisture in her mouth to reply. "Battousai I think…"

His eyes lowered away from hers and then he was slowly licking a path from her arm to her wrist, soft strokes of his tongue removing the worst of the blood. He tilted her hand so that the blood would pool in her palm before dragging his tongue across the sensitive skin under her thumb. She trembled when his fangs grazed her skin.

His eyes flickered to hers and they burned along her skin where they touched. Her breathing went ragged at that look and something hot moved through her veins. He tilted his head and his hair slid across the skin of her arm like silk.

"Kenshin."

She stared at him. "What?"

His fangs broke skin with this pass and his tongue laved across the small cuts. "I grow tired of being constantly referred to by a mere nickname."

Her lips parted as she gaped at him.

Lowering her arm, he leaned forward until their noses were touching. His _ki_ slithered across her skin and she shivered. His eyes gleamed at her. Then his tongue flickered out across her bottom lip and she flung herself backwards. To her surprise, he let her.

His lashes lowered so that she was looking at a gleam of yellow. "You should have Megumi look at that," he suggested before running his tongue along his bottom lip.

She took a cautious step backwards but he was turning away, seemingly unconcerned. She curled her good hand into her kimono and trembled. Her insides were a riot of emotions and that strange sense of control in her blood that wouldn't go away. She reached out and braced herself on the table, her knees suddenly weak.

He had… oh _kami_. He had tasted her blood. Sano had warned her about letting a vampire that close, of letting any of them around an open wound. And Battousai had just walked over and taken what he wanted like he _owned_ her. Stifling the urge to scream or cry she worked on controlling her breathing.

What he had done should have felt like a violation. Because it was one. And she was angry. Angry he had licked her and touched her without her permission and used her like some sort of walking snack and yet…

She felt flushed. Her knees shook and there was heat pooling in the pit of her stomach that made her clench her teeth. She felt vulnerable. She wanted to blame the damn allure of his looks and a vampire's natural ability to coerce and charm when they choose to… but it was something else. Whatever was reacting in her system to his proximity was humming through her and it left her feeling light headed.

She needed answers; she knew she wasn't going to get any. So that meant she was going to have to make sure she didn't give him an opportunity to… nibble. Or lick. Or any of those things. Flushing, she took another breath and reached out for the cloth she had tried to grab earlier and wrapped it tightly around her hand, using the pain to clear her head.

She was not weak.

She would find a way out of this mess. She had to.

X

How interesting.

Half-blood. His little human was a half-blood.

His tongue touched the tip of one fang. The taste of her still lingered in his mouth and he allowed his lips to curve into something predatory. That explained the sensation of her _ki_ against his and the way he could sense the wildness in her blood react to his touch. The way he could feel himself react… a long breath hissed out.

He was aware of his instincts shifting where she was concerned… felt them testing her for weaknesses. What bothered him was, although he had found _too many_ – too weak, too soft… too _human_ – his gift was reacting to her. It stroked along her _ki_ and he would have to eliminate her or risk an attachment he had no desire of. He had no intention of mating with _anyone_ – much less something with half of his potential – and had no desire to convert her. Use her, drain her, and break that wide-eyed innocence that curled off of her in waves… He wanted to wrap his fingers in her hair and feel the way she would struggle, her _ki_ writhing against his as he bent her small frame to his will…

But not _yet_.

No…. not yet. There was still too much weariness in her eyes, too many thoughts he couldn't read. He would wait until he had memorized every nuance of her expression, every brush of her ki… because then… Then he could find all the cracks and slowly, so slowly strip her down until she was what he wanted.

It was just a bonus that she tasted so sweet.

X

The flesh beneath his fangs was soft, soft, _soft_. Stroking the hair of the woman who had stopped making those dulcet, frightened whimpering noises several minutes ago, he sated his hunger. She had been so sweet…

The last of her family to die. Such a pity that there hadn't been anyone else to taunt her with. Those large eyes wide and frightened, lips cracked and bleeding behind her gag as he tortured her family in front of her. Her muffled sobs had been all the encouragement he needed as he worked.

Her blood had been saturated by her fear and pain. It had been a masterpiece. Too many individuals ignored their art. Too hungry to care, too demanding, they never knew the satisfaction of spending days working a human for the right combination, never knew the control it took to hold them perfectly in place while their bodies fought and cowered and bled in fear.

And he knew who he wanted next. Oh yes…

_Battousai_.

The dojo was so close he could taste her fright. Could almost imagine how her skin would feel – cold and frozen against his body – and he smiled.

And he would make him so angry. So angry.

He knew what Battousai was hiding behind the walls of the dojo. And he knew what it would cost him to lose her. The little Halfling who called to his blood. And he would be the first to taste her. The first to hear her screams. And he would steal her away. He would change her and break her and leave behind just enough to survive.

Yes…. And as her blood stained the floor and his hands and along his tongue, then he would let Battousai feel him. Then would he let him find him… just to feel her break under him.

Sliding forward, he pushed his face as close to the open window as he dared and stared at the high walled dojo with red eyes. Waiting... Waiting... Waiting now. For when Battousai would be far enough away from his gift and he could steal the little Halfling.

Battousai would not be able to track them if only he had enough time.

He would be patient.

Angry. Angry. So angry. Will you get angry, Battousai?

X

Kenshin moved on silent feet down the path that had been beaten into submission by tireless hours of walking by humans. It really was amazing how quickly they reproduced themselves and how little concern they actually had for what was around them. Feeling another spike of angry emotion behind him, he finally stopped and turned to face the two fools who were following him.

It was an absent wonder why he hadn't just killed them yet. Both were still young enough that they hadn't reached their majority and so their insolence was mostly overlooked in consideration for the growing they had yet to do. Although he was beginning to feel their constant disapproval grate against his nerves; young or not, he would not be challenged by fools.

Still, it would be wasteful to destroy the very useful gift he could feel growing inside the youngest. Foresight was rare and even if it was only coming in short, uneasy bursts now, eventually he would mature to the point where he could focus and handle it. Then he would be useful. As for the spark of connection he could pick up on between Megumi and the older… well, he was never one to turn down such a useful means of manipulation. He stared, narrow eyed at the vampires approaching him. They had ruined his relaxing hunt and now he would have to deal with them. He was more at peace than he had been in months – a surprising revelation and it was such a pity to waste it on something like explanations.

Well… if they wanted information, perhaps he should just give it to them.

"She's a half-breed."

Baiting them at least would give him some amusement. Kenshin's mouth quirked up at one corner at the way Yahiko glared at him. They were becoming complacent with who he was if they thought they could order him around and glare.

"Liar!"

Kenshin lifted a brow. "Oh? I've tasted her blood."

Sano glared at him. "So have we."

That was a piece of information he hadn't expected. Narrowing his eyes, he studied them.

"Do not assume my senses are as inferior as your own. The girl is only half a human." He allowed a touch of power to slide along his words and they both flinched.

Yahiko clenched his fists. "She's human."

He shrugged. "Perhaps I will simply take another taste to be sure."

Sano hissed between his teeth. "You've had enough, Battousai! She isn't someone you can just feed off of."

"No? I beg to differ. I have claimed her under insult, Sanosuke. You should keep that in mind. She is mine and there is very little under vampire or human law that you can do about it." His mouth curled just enough to show off the sharp points of his fangs. "If you would like to try…."

He paused, his head tilting to one side, eyes narrowing. His _ki_ settled around his form and flickered, thick with power. "Someone is at the dojo."

Sano stared at the spot Battousai had recently occupied and swore. "There he fucking goes again!"

"He said someone was at the dojo…."

They both turned to follow.

Yahiko wondered why his gift hadn't warned him this time that Kaoru was in danger.

X

Kaoru ripped the comb forcefully through her damp hair, ignoring the faint sting of pain as she did so. He had licked her. Lapped the blood off her arm like he owned it. Hours later she was still angry. It didn't help that every time she thought of it she felt funny – warm and relaxed. Growling in the back of her throat, she slammed the comb against the floor and took several deep, calming breaths.

He was toying with her. Playing with her the way a cat played with a mouse before its meal. Curling her nails into her palms, she stared hard at the floor. What could she do? What was it about her that was keeping him here?

She bit her lip and chewed on it, worried. It all led back to Megumi's declaration that she was only part human; that had to be the connection. So was it true? Uncurling her hand, she stared at her palm as if trying to read beneath the skin. But how? Which parent? Her father had died only a few years ago and he had been gray at the temples, aging slowly like a human. And her mother…

She didn't really remember her mother. Just that her father said she had her eyes. There was an impression of long, dark hair and she had always smelled like flowers. Surely her father would have noticed if his wife had been a vampire! He had always been able to read people by their _ki_ and he would have mentioned it. Surely….

Burying her face in her hands she sighed heavily. There were so many things she just didn't know and it wasn't likely she would find out either. Because she knew... _knew_ that Battousai would grow tired of her soon. He would pull her apart piece by piece until he was satisfied and then he would kill her.

And if Yahiko or Sano tried to stop him, he would kill them too.

She took several deep, painful breaths. She felt sick and struggled to keep her dinner down. This was not how she wanted to go… this wasn't even how she wanted to live. What she needed was a plan and she was just too exhausted to put one together tonight. Determined to get a good night's rest, she pushed herself to her knees and then froze when she realized how silent it was in the dojo.

There was always noise. Either from the outside road or the sounds of her family moving about; but it was silent and almost eerily so. Kaoru wasn't helpless and she intellectually knew that Megumi was somewhere on the property. Except Battousai, Sano and Yahiko had all gone out earlier. Sano had assured her that dojo was as safe as they could make it and they had all left. But something in her gut told her that something was very, very wrong…

Battousai had to have enemies but surely they wouldn't care about a lowly human when Battousai's personal doctor was just one door down. Before she could stand up and hunt down her bokken, something cold slithered down her spine.

"Kamiya."

Kaoru froze at that voice. It was flat and rasped along her nerves uncomfortably. No one she knew would have called her that or spoken in that tone of voice. Sano or Yahiko would call her by her first name and Battousai…

Lifting her eyes, she flinched away from the figure that was leaning against her wall. She opened her mouth to scream –_vampire_ – but the figure moved as deceptively quick as Battousai. Before she could utter any sound long fingers closed around the back of her neck, hard enough to steal her breath. She could feel herself pressed almost nose to nose with a creature with eyes that were a dark red.

"No, no screaming. Not yet." He breathed against her before leaning down and running his tongue along the ridge of her ear. Kaoru jerked and tried to move, but her body was having a hard time responding. It moved sluggishly, a sudden burning cold in the air making it hard to breathe.

"I have you. I win. Yes! Battousai I win!"

His voice was high and his laugh hurt her ears. Then the pressure on her neck was gone and she was being tossed painfully onto a sharp, boney shoulder. She screamed as loudly as she could but it echoed strangely in her ears and the world tilted. She struggled to loosen herself but there was a growing increase of pressure on her mind that was bending her to its will and the sharp cold was sinking in her blood. Gasping painfully for air, she hung limply for what felt like an eternity before she was dropped on a hard, wooden floor.

Wild, brilliant eyes burned into hers.

"Get angry, _Battousai_… because I have her now!"

The last thing she remembered before her body blacked out was whoever it was coming at her was holding a thick coil of rope.

X

Megumi was waiting for them outside. Her face was pale against the white of her yukata and her mouth was pressed into a hard line.

"Jineh was here."

Kenshin stared at her, his eyes narrowed into slits. "You're sure?"

She nodded wearily. "Yes. He took Kaoru. I wasn't even aware of his presence until she started screaming. By the time I made it to her room they were gone but he had left behind a… message."

"A message?" Yahiko snapped. "Who the _hell_ is Jineh?"

Megumi ignored their questions and jerked her head across the street. "He took whatever he had been using to shield himself off the house over there. There are… bodies."

Battousai turned on his heel and moved across the street.

"What the hell! We should be looking for Kaoru!" Sano snapped.

"You cannot track Jineh until he wants to be found," Megumi said flatly, her eyes dark. "That is _his_ gift."

Sano curled his hands into fists. "What does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said. We cannot find him until he wants to be found. And he will."

"What?" Yahiko said, looking startled.

"Jineh always wants to be found," Megumi said coldly. "He likes to flaunt his kills."

"His…"

"This is your fault." Yahiko said fiercely. "If you hadn't come, he wouldn't be here!"

Megumi stared at him coldly. "Think what you will, but she has always been in danger of madmen like Jineh. Neither of you were doing anything to hide her power."

"She doesn't have any power!" Sano snapped.

"Be quiet."

Battousai's voice was edged with rage. "Arguing solves nothing. Megumi, we will discuss your lack of awareness at a later date."

She flinched.

His eyes flickered over to Sano and Yahiko. They were hot yellow. "Stay here."

Then he was gone.

"I hate it when he does that." Sano snarled, clenching his fists. "He's not the only one who can fight!"

Megumi snorted and tossed her hair, but her eyes were worried. Yahiko bared his fangs at her.

"I think she'll be alright, Yahiko."

Megumi lifted a brow. "Jineh tortures his victims. Freezes their blood in their veins and twists their minds around until they can't think beyond their fear and their pain. Battousai won't be able to find her until its too late. That is the game Jineh plays."

Sano sneered at her. "Is that so? Then why is he tracking her now? Jineh wants him to find her, wants Battousai to see her break, doesn't he?"

Yahiko scowled at them. "What I want to know is why he took her at all. Why not take you?"

Megumi frowned, her eyes narrowing. "I… don't know."

Sano cursed under his breath and glared at the dojo, his jaw hard.

Megumi at them for long moments before she turned and walked away.

"Sano… she can't…"

"It's out of our hands now." He said flatly.

Yahiko curled his hands into fists.

'_Oh Kaoru. Please be safe. From both of them.'_

X

Kenshin moved along the bank, his eyes hard and the hand on the hilt of his sword white with the strain of his temper. Jineh had taken what he had clearly marked as his. Of all the vampires, Jineh knew best not to touch what belonged to him.

And his little Halfling _did_ belong to him.

Not only was she his under law, but his _ki_ and blood had claimed her as his as well. The way his own gift had reacted to her presence, the taste of her against his tongue… his eyes hardened. And Jineh thought he could simply take her for his own?

"_Jineh_."

He snarled the name into the empty forest. He was coming and when he found him, he would do what he should have done the first time. There wouldn't be enough left of the vampire to piece back together this time.

'I'm coming.'

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	4. Chapter Four

Re-posted: 11-4-10

* * *

The sound of rain woke her. Her short term memory wasn't so good and her brain refused to process what she was looking at when her eyes opened again. Blinking hard, she wondered exactly how she had fallen asleep on the floor in the storage shed. It wasn't until she saw the coil of rope sitting next to her unbound hands that she remembered exactly what had happened. Her muscles refused to move, clenched in terror and her breathing went ragged. _Kidnapped_. The vampire with the crazy eyes had kidnapped her. Swallowing hard, she wondering how long she had been unconscious. Carefully and cautiously, she forced her muscles to work, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"Finally awake."

The harsh tones of that voice actually made her heartbeat skip. Slowly, she turned her head and peered at the creature across the room through her unbound hair.

She was unarmed.

Something in his gaze was unstable. The knowledge did nothing to ease the terror pushing at her mind and she curled her fists together, hoping they weren't trembling.

"Awake, awake, awake. _Yeeesssss_…."

"Wha..." Kaoru stumbled with the pronunciation of the words and tried again. She needed to hear the sound of her own voice to dispel the echoes of his. "What do you _want_?"

The slow rise of heat in her veins dispelled the ice clinging to her skin and she shivered violently. Whatever was crawling through her veins was _hungry_. It kept her from feeling so weak so she clung to the strength desperately.

"_To make him angry_."

The words were snarled into the confined space. The hairs on her arms and legs rose at the sudden crackle of ki in the air and she tried to inch away from it, nervous.

"Yes… how angry will he be…" those red eyes pinned her. "I can feel your blood calling for him. Oh yes… you cannot hide… and _he wants you_."

_He's too close_, Kaoru thought urgently, her gaze frantically attempting to pull away from the vampire in front of her. His face was all dark angles, tiny facets of insanity erupting in his eyes like strokes of lightning.

"…and you are _untouched_." There was something in the way he said it, in the twisting of his words that had every muscle in her body tightening up as she attempted to pull away from him. He moved forward, large hands reaching and reaching…

He meant to…

Kaoru felt a hand wrap around the base of her skull, the dark ebony mane knotted into his twisted hands, his mouth pressing against hers in a brutal hold. She struggled as hard as she could, straining against his grip as his tongue invaded her mouth. Her stomach churned at the metallic taste of him.

When he pulled back his eyes were wild.

"Yes. Yes. _I was right_!"

She didn't see the knife until it slammed into her shoulder and she screamed. Spots danced before her vision and her body shook with shock. The hot, wet stroke of his tongue against her arm left her feeling violated and she jerked away from him.

His mouth was red with her blood and she shuddered in terror.

"Halfling… little half-human vampire…"

Then his hands were knotted in her hair again, her head twisted violently back and his mouth pressed to hers. She struggled, but that only seemed to excite him and his mouth slipped down her neck.

"No!" She reached up and fisted her hand in his hair, yanking as hard as she could. He laughed. Lifting his head, he stared down at her with glowing eyes so dark and intense that her stomach tied itself into knots.

"Don't fret girl." His voice was wild and loud. "I won't claim you until you are fully _mine_."

His teeth brutally ripped into the pale skin of her throat.

She screamed.

It was an invasion. His _ki_ wrapped around her, dug into her skin and hit her own _ki_ hard; as if it was trying to swallow her whole. It was wrong and she struggled.

She was no-one's victim!

It came ripping through her veins like a tsunami and her mind went incandescent with the sheer fury of it. She heard the faint cursing from Jineh, felt him shift off of her, but she had retreated into the heat of her power and let it protect her. Her vision was eaten up by white hot rage and she reached behind her, groping for something to pull herself back with, anything to steer the wrath churning in her blood.

"Stay _still_!"

He had all but ripped his fangs from her skin and it had hurt in a distant sort of way. His _ki_ was poisonous and it was getting close again so she reacted. With the smell of her blood heavy in the air, she reached and grabbed a handful of the wall, ripping it away, uncaring that heavy splinters had embedded themselves into her palm.

She looked up just in time to catch the vampire in a lunge and out of reflex she buried the chunk of wood into his shoulder. Something _physical_ left her fingertips and her vision cleared as he screamed, clawing at her. Kaoru suddenly become aware of his _ki_ in a way that she hadn't been before. She hardly noticed the way his nails tore at the flesh on the back of her hand. His _ki_ moved in curious dark patterns, dark threads that melded together and around each other in vaguely recognizable patterns of flashing colors.

Kaoru felt that vicious energy within her again; she instinctively used it to slash at the gossamer threads that were connecting her to the madman. She was vaguely aware that he opened his mouth in a silent scream as the blood around his wound turned black. Fascinated, she spun the threads back together, weaving her own design into his _ki_. The threads fought against each other, the smooth alignment gone, replaced by a chaos that was almost beautiful.

And she had created it.

Suddenly, she felt sick and shoved herself to her feet. It was time to leave and it was clear he wasn't going to stop her. Reaching up to cover the bleeding of her neck with one hand, she lifted her burning palm to her face. Dark red marks were beginning to spread away from the wound and she wavered, wondering what she had done. Finally she cradled her hand against her chest and half-stumbled across the uneven ground.

Kaoru was unaware of how far she had run or when she fell, but she lay there shaking and bruised. Her body refused to rise. She was so damn tired. Everything was starting to hurt. Closing her eyes, she barely had the awareness to respond to the sudden smoldering against her senses… something dark and burning, a half-forgotten memory… familiar. As she let go of consciousness, she was aware of the power sliding through her veins.

X

Kenshin stood still, eyes roaming the unbroken forest as the rain finally started to fall. The night was warm although the cold rarely bothered him. Jineh had covered his trail. He had found very little sign of his movements even with the use of his gift. Kenshin's lips curled away from his fangs and he tightened his hold on the hilt of his katana. After the attempt to kill Kenshin's master, Jineh had somehow managed to escape the purging of Kyoto. There had been rumors of the past few years, but the Oniwabanshu had been following up on the missing agents.

Clearly it was time for him to have a talk with their Okashira.

Narrowing his gaze, his breath hissed between his teeth. Shinomori would not enjoy that conversation… yet it was his own reaction to the knowledge that Jineh had his little Halfling that had him on edge. He should not have reacted to her kidnapping with such hot, furious rage. Jineh had taken what he had claimed – marked for anyone to see – and he would pay for that, but the way his temper and his gift had reacted to her disappearance, the burning urge to rip and tear… those reactions he would have to examine later.

Because while he couldn't track Jineh, he had tasted Kaoru's blood, had tangled himself in her ki – even if it had only been for a moment. And he could still feel the faintest pulsing of her energy in his blood. Jineh had miscalculated and it would cost him. Running his thumb over the smooth hilt, he closed his eyes and sent his own _ki_ out, searching for even the smallest abnormality in the air.

The slow fall of the rain had dampened most of the disturbance in the forest, but if one knew what to look for…

_There_.

Snapping his eyes open, he narrowed in on the faint disturbance of the natural _ki_ of the forest. Moving swiftly, he chased that elusive flutter. Beyond it there was a single lack of _ki_ that should have tipped him off, and yet his senses had grazed right past it….

He was still a good distance away when that small spark exploded into a tempest of angry, whirling emotions and power. He skidded to a stop and felt along the edges of it, testing the strength of it. There were only one or two instances in a vampire's life when they put out that much explosive energy and for a Halfling like Kaoru…

He ground his teeth together in fury. Jineh was attempting to change her. And the explosion of power disoriented the spark he had been following. The power was pushing over a mile wide radius so it would be impossible to track their exact location. Kaoru's _ki_ was rejecting Jineh's.

The sudden disappearance of power was stunning. He felt Jineh then – clear and wild as he had been since that last battle – but there was something off. Something… uneven about his ki; as if it was attempting to tear him apart from the inside out...

Well, how _interesting_…

He knew his smile wasn't pleasant and he didn't care. Moving silently, he searched for some sign of his Halfling. It appeared she had a surprise or two he hadn't picked up on yet. Abruptly, his amusement died as he got a bead on her location and he snarled, picking up his pace. Her ki was erratic and weak – fading.

She was sprawled out in a clearing and the smell of blood was thick. She was bleeding from an obvious bite on the neck and she was so pale her lips looked white. Carefully, he rolled her onto her back. The rain was taking care of the lingering traces of Jineh's ki on her skin, but the loss of blood was a problem. There was a deep stab wound on her shoulder that was bleeding almost as freely as her neck. An erratic burst of ki near her hand drew his attention and ran his fingers over the deep puncture marks.

Splinters. So she had been held in a wooden building and had used it to defend herself. Unfortunately, it appeared whatever balance her blood had given her in immunity to wood had all but been bled out of her body. So she was suffering from the shock of an incomplete change as well as wood poisoning.

The white hot rage that knotted and burned in his chest wasn't as surprising as it had been earlier, but he took a step away from her anyway and studied her. Instincts he had buried a long time ago were clamoring against him, demanding that he rush her back to Megumi as fast as his legs could carry him.

Crouching down he stared at the sluggish beat of her pulse and shoved his instincts to the back of his mind. He would not. Not without a reason. To save her, he would have to tie her to him, bind their ki and their gifts. Mate. His lips curled at the notion. He had no need for such a thing. _Had no desire for one_. And as he listened to her heartbeat grow weaker, he considered leaving her there.

What held him back was the strength of the gift that had exploded from her when Jineh had attempted to bend her to his will. She had fought him off, which was remarkable considering her lack of training and weak human morals. Jineh used his greater will to weaken and trap his victims. She had been strong enough to call him to her as a half-blood and he wondered how much more powerful she would be once she completed the change.

How much stronger she would make him. He would _not_ allow himself a weakness. Weighing the decision he finally sighed and reached for her limp form. It appeared he would have to change the rules. Because while had no desire for a mate or weakness…

The possibilities of her power were tantalizing.

X

Yahiko paced across the dojo floor, fists clenched as he struggled to control himself. Kaoru. Kaoru was in the hands of a madman. And it was partly his fault.

"Dammit!"

"Swearing isn't going to help the situation any," Megumi said in a bored tone.

"Shut up!" Yahiko snapped. "You don't understand anything."

Megumi lifted a perfect brow and smirked. "No?"

"Stop with your games." Sano warned from where he was sitting, watching the gate. "Just because you're terrified Battousai will kill you when he returns doesn't give you the right to take it out on the kid."

"I'm not a kid!"

Megumi glared at him. "You're the fool who doesn't understand. Do you think he'll just kill me?"

Sano turned his hard eyes to her. "I don't think it matters at this point."

Yahiko suddenly threw his hands up. "Why hasn't my gift _worked_?"

"What?" Sano asked, turning.

Yahiko glared at them. "I always know when she is in trouble. _Always_."

"You can't honestly be that ignorant." Megumi said in a cool voice.

Yahiko snapped around and bared his teeth at her. She sighed, sounding put out.

"Her gift is negating yours."

Sano tensed. "That's impossible."

Megumi laughed. "Oh, you little foolish boys. You know nothing of what gifts can do." She twisted her lips into a parody of a smile. "Her gift is stronger than both of yours combined, that is why you have failed to protect her. You couldn't shield her strength with yours."

Yahiko and Sano stared at her.

"Your gift of foresight might have protected her before Batts came and awakened her blood, but it won't any longer. You're too young and too weak."

"I am _not weak_." Yahiko snarled.

Megumi ignored him, her mouth tense. "He's back."

The other vampires swung towards the gate. Battousai was walking across the yard, drenched but not seeming to care. Kaoru was limp and unmoving in his arms, her heartbeat faint even to their ears.

Megumi was on her feet and moving towards Kaoru's room before anyone had really processed what had happened. Flinging open the girl's futon, she was thankful she had fed yesterday. She would need her strength to save the girl. And Battousai would not accept two failures tonight.

She almost missed his arrival and moved away so he could set the girl down. Before she could move to start healing the broken human, Battousai dismissed her with a look.

"_Leave_."

She jerked, startled, but he ignored her. Instead, his attention remained on the dying half-blood. Biting her lip, she nodded once and slipped out of the room and slid the door shut with a snap. Taking a deep breath, grabbed Sano and Yahiko by their ears and dragged them into the courtyard.

"Do not disturb him."

"Why?" Yahiko snarled.

"Because he is going to save her life," Her lips twisted into sneer. "The little idiot is dying from blood loss and wood poisoning. There is only _one_ way to save her now and if I have to explain that…"

Both males paled and turned their attention to the dark dojo.

X

She had survived the trip back to the dojo and he was a little surprised. The side of his mouth kicked up as he considered her reaction to what he was about to do. Ah, this would have been more enjoyable if she had been more alive and able to appreciate what was happening to her. Pity. Not that it particularly mattered. He had made his decision.

Sitting, he tangled his fingers into her hair and pulled her back away from the futon, angling her head before biting down into her neck. She no longer smelled of Jineh but the tang of his ki lingered in the puncture wounds and he burned it away with his own. Her weakened power responded immediately and he ignored it as he drank deeply of what little blood remained in her veins.

He was no toddler like Jineh and she was already his. Even as she struggled, her gift writhing against his frantically, he pressed against her defenses solidly, pushing her into accepting him. Her gift stilled against his and wavered for several heartbeats before it sank against him in acceptance.

The edge of his mouth kicked up. No matter how Kaoru would fight him now – and he knew she would, he looked forward her defiance – she had given in here. If he had desired permission that would have been it, but her wishes in this matter did not concern him. She was his now and she would learn.

Her blood was warm against the back of his throat and her _ki_ opened to him, soothing the sharp edges of his instincts that had burned with anger and hate since she had been taken. Another reaction he would have to think through. Pulling away from her neck only when her heart stopped beating. Licking his fangs clean, and memorizing the taste of her, he brought his wrist to his mouth and ripped his skin open.

He had no intention of offering her his neck.

He watched as his blood spilled into her mouth. It was several minutes before she reacted to it, her heart beating erratically. She didn't pull her fangs down to drink fully from his wrist but he hadn't expected her to. He fully expected to be forced to feed her himself for the next few days, but she had enough of his blood now to accept the change. Licking the cut closed along his wrist, he smirked when he felt the changes start in her _ki_.

The rest of the process would finish overnight.

Leaning down, he ran his tongue over her lips, catching the excess blood. He could feel her body fighting off the poison. His blood – already immune – would help with that. Unfortunately, she would be weak for several days. And he could feel the bond forming between them. Snarling under his breath, he stood and left her on the futon.

He would let Megumi deal with her clothing. Lowering his eyes, he deliberately traced the outline of her body and amusement curled in his chest. The bond between them was uneven. She would need him far more than he would need her until she managed to bite his neck. Until then, it appeared that there would be other… more entertaining ways of bending her to his will.

And since her gift had accepted him, there was no chance of her using it against him now.

But first, there was the matter of Jineh. Walking out of her room, he headed to the courtyard where he could feel Megumi.

"Remove the wood from her hand and change her clothing. The wound on her neck will heal on its own, but her shoulder will need to be tended." He ordered as he walked over to them. His eyes landed on Yahiko and Sano. "If anyone enters the grounds tonight, you will deal with me."

Then he was gone.

X

Sano sat on the porch of the dojo as he waited for Megumi to return. It would do no good to barge in there and demand answers of Kaoru's condition. And he still had to deal with Yahiko.

"What's bothering you, kid?"

"Don't call me that." But there was no heat to his tone. "Nothing."

"Bullshit. You've been moping for the past hour."

Yahiko scowled at him but refuse to answer. Sano sighed, fiddling with the fishbone in his mouth.

"It's not your fault, Yahiko." He said finally. "There ain't no way to predict crazy and Jineh is most certainly that.

"I should have been able to! What the fuck is the use of my gift if I can't?"

"Didn't you say you could only see things that could be changed?"

Yahiko glared at him. "So?"

"Stop being such a shit head. It means you couldn't change anything that happened tonight."

Yahiko refused to look at him.

"At least she's alive. Wood poisoning ain't something to mess around with."

"I hope the Battousai kills him."

"If we know anything, it's _that_. The question is _how long_ it is going to take."

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	5. Chapter Five

Re-posted: 11-4-10

* * *

Yahiko stared at Kaoru's unconscious body. The slow rise and fall of her chest was a sign that she was clinging to human habits, but it eased a knot in his gut. The physical, reliable sign that she was still alive brought him comfort. But soon she would fall into the same patterns he and Sano had… which meant that counting her human breaths was no longer going to be a comfort. He would have to learn to feel her _ki_ patterns. He was terrible at _ki_ patterns. Curling his knees to his chest, he wrapped his arms around his legs and stubbornly set his jaw. She would make it. She had to.

But why had Battousai turned her? Giving Kaoru vampire strength gave her strength to fight him and Yahiko didn't think Battousai was the type to encourage disobedience. So that meant he wanted something from her… and he didn't think he could get it unless she was a vampire.

Sano's hand ruffled his hair and he didn't bother to swat it away. "She's going to be okay. Battousai's blood is strong and Megumi knows what she's doing." _'Or at least, she better.' _

Megumi ignored them both. She was sitting on the futon next to Kaoru, brushing the knots out of her hair. Sano had to work to keep his eyes off the slow, deliberate motions of her hands. Scowling, he glared at her. Finally, she looked up with a surprisingly grave expression on her face.

"It depends."

Yahiko roused himself to glare at her. "What depends?"

"If she survives. Wood poisoning is difficult to deal with when a vampire is healthy. Unfortunately, her body has been put through a great deal of stress tonight. If it was anyone else who had converted her, she wouldn't have survived the transition. As it is, she is very weak."

Yahiko frowned. "But Battousai…"

Megumi tossed her hair behind her shoulder, her eyes flashing. "Battousai gave her what she needed to fight for her life. The bonds between them aren't so deep that her death will hurt him."

Yahiko glared at her. "You really don't like people_,_ do you?"

Megumi leveled him with a flat glare. "Don't comment on things you don't understand, brat. My point is that her _ki_ is strong but it's up to her if she lives through the night. I have done all I can."

Sano crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, his eyes shutting. "Don't bother arguing with her Yahiko. You have to have compassion to understand people."

Yahiko grunted an agreement and lowered his head back to his knees.

_'Please, please be okay.'_

X

Jineh curled around his middle, hissing out a long breath at another stab of agony that threatened to cripple his motion. He staggered on the ground, his legs unable to hold him up. It was as if his insides were pulling apart.

He laughed, low and harsh in the clearing. Oh how fitting. Grinning widely, he pushed himself up. He looked around for any sign of pursuit from Battousai, his eyes darting from tree to tree. If he was going to fight him he would need to set things up perfectly and his time was running out. A muscle in his back tightened and he jerked.

"Did you really think I would allow _you_ to flee for safety?"

The calm, faintly mocking voice was edged in steel. Jineh paused at those words and he turned slowly, a smile tugging at his lips. His smile widened at the sight of the blood that clung to his clothing and the flat, yellow gaze that was watching him.

_"Battousai!" _

Kenshin just watched him from the edge of the clearing.

Jineh pulled his sword; seemingly uncaring that blood was leaking from his nose and smiled widely. "You're angry… yes; I can feel your _anger._"

Kenshin settled his hand on his hilt. Hot yellow eyes were narrowed into something more than anger. "You touched what belonged to me, Jineh."

"She tasted so sweet. Her _fear_ was so sweet. Your woman!"

He tilted his head as he strode forward. "I should slit your throat. Watch you gasp and struggle for a single breath… but you underestimated her, didn't you? You let her too close and she broke you. You aren't worth my time…."

Jineh hissed and lunged. Kenshin disappeared from in front of him and he stumbled as he automatically tried to pull up his _ki_ as a defense. His _ki_ immediately pushed inwards, twisting and digging against his muscle and skin. Jineh dropped to one knee and screamed. When he finally managed to pull himself back together, a pair of yellow eyes were watching him coolly.

"No, Jineh, you are not worth my time but I _will_ kill you." Unsheathing his sword, he drove the blade through Jineh's shoulder and twisted it violently upward until it tore clean of muscle and bone. "I don't think you will enjoy it."

Jineh laughed and lunged again. Battousai blurred and brought the edge of his blade down across Jineh's wrist. Both katana and hand dropped to the ground suddenly useless.

"Does it feel as good as you thought it would?" Kenshin questioned as he slashed his sword down to clean it of blood. He stared down at Jineh with disgust.

Jineh clutched at the bleeding stump on his arm, his eyes streaking into a dark red. His chest rattled with crazed laughter. "Oh yes… you are angry. You took her as yours, didn't you! I can feel it; even now… _he'll_ kill you both!"

Kenshin settled the edge of his blade against Jineh's throat. "He?"

Jineh lunged, his remaining hand grappling with Kenshin for his blade. He didn't seem to care that he cut the side of his throat as he tried to overpower the smaller man. Kenshin spun and flung Jineh. His _ki_ followed the movement, eating up the ground as it raced towards Jineh. He was flung into a tree with a crunch.

"He, Jineh?"

He laughed again. "You will hear no more from me this night."

Kenshin prowled forward and chuckled, low in the back of his throat. "You have forgotten what I am, Jineh. I assure you when I am finished that there won't be enough left of you to provide a meal for a single crow. You _will_ tell me what I want to know."

Jineh attempted to spit in Battousai's face. His face contorted in the motions but his body failed him as and his form convulsed in a tight, heavy spasm and he opened his mouth in a silent scream.

Kenshin smiled. "How very interesting… it's as if your gift is attacking your own body…"

Jineh cursed him hoarsely.

Kenshin lifted his blade. "Perhaps I will let this take longer than I had intended to see the full effect of what she has done to you… but in the end, you will tell me anything I want to know."

X

The dojo was silent when Kenshin returned. Sano and Yahiko were sprawled out on the porch. He ignored the way they scrambled to their feet as he passed by and made straight for where he could feel Megumi's _ki_. It wasn't urgency exactly that pushed him forward and he refused to rush.

Megumi slid the shoji open before he reached it and took several quick steps away from him. She smelled faintly of blood and sweat, but the overwhelming presence of Kaoru's blood had disappeared.

"Well?"

"I've cleared most of the wood from her system. The wounds were easy enough to deal with, but her blood levels are low and the wood poisoning is going to leave her weak."

Battousai nodded and set himself down on the futon to study the unconscious woman. Her _ki_ was starting to settle, a sign that the change was almost complete. But a great deal of her remaining energy was going to combating the remaining wood in her system. She would need blood soon.

Megumi tightened her lips into a thin line at the almost thoughtful expression on Battousai's face. "You turned her."

"I turned you."

She flinched at his tone and curled her fingers together. "You _bound _her."

Narrowed yellow eyes glanced in her direction. "Are you questioning me, Megumi?"

She dropped her eyes. "No. I just want to understand."

"You assume much," he murmured. She flinched at his tone and curled her nails into her palms, willing herself not to tremble. "It should not matter as to why, but only that I _have_."

She bowed her head and kept her eyes firmly on the floor. She could have bitten her own tongue off. Challenging him – even slightly – after a hunt was stupid. She knew that.

"Have you ever heard of an empath, Megumi?" His tone was soft but the lethal edge to it had her responding quickly.

"Rumors only."

She flicked her eyes up to see the side of his mouth kick up. "What rumors?"

Megumi laced her fingers together and hoped he hadn't noticed. Why was he asking her these questions? She knew that his shishou had drilled vampire lore and gifts into his brain and that the only vampire who knew more was Shinomori. But…

"Empathy is a gift that allows a vampire a certain amount of control over _ki_ patterns. Usually their own… but to a limited ability with those who they have a direct blood connection to; the strong ones have the ability to manipulate another vampire's _ki_ without a direct blood connection but their manipulations aren't as strong. I have never heard of one living with that talent."

"Correct." The edges of Battousai's lips curled. "The reason you have never seen one is because most are killed by stronger vampires as soon as their gifts are known. There was a family who bred the gift true… but they seem to have all died off during the Bakumatsu." He tapped his fingers on his thigh, eyes locked on Kaoru. "It is interesting…"

"Batts?"

"She damaged Jineh's _ki_."

Megumi's body snapped around until she was facing him. "What?"

"He lacked the ability to control his gift."

She bit the inside of her lip to keep from physically reacting to the amusement in his tone. Gifts were dangerous. A vampire who lacked the ability to control himself died as his gift tore him apart from the inside. Even her own gift of healing would eat away at her insides until she was just a shell and for someone like Jineh… who had enough power to make himself a nuisance for Battousai…

"I find it very interesting that a half-blood was able to manipulate _ki_…" his voice trailed and he watched Kaoru for several more moments before turning to face Megumi again.

"Jineh was sent by someone."

Megumi snapped her eyes back to him. "No one was aware that you were here."

"Shinomori was aware, but it is unlikely that he passed that information along to anyone else. Soujiro was also aware." His mouth tightened. "But someone did send him… and I do not like the fact that the choice of assassin was so closely connected to the past."

"We are certain that Shishio is dead?"

Battousai's smile was fanged and not at all comforting. "Yes. He is most certainly. The problem is that there are very few outside of Shishio who would have been willing to deal with Jineh. Unfortunately, he did not have a name."

Megumi suppressed a shudder at the tone in his voice; she knew the type of torture he was capable of. Had seen it first hand. The fact that Jineh had not had the name would not have ended it any quickly for him. She quickly ran through the list of gifts that Battousai had forced her to learn and winced.

"Was his mind tampered with?"

Narrowed yellow eyes studied her as he pondered her words. The ability to remove a memory from a vampire's mind was rare and easily ruined by over use, but there were those who were willing to take that risk. Jineh's mind would not have been easy to twist.

"It is possible, however unlikely. His mind was never stable or organized, and his _ki_ and mind were all but broken. It would have been impossible to tell what had been tampered with if we had the gift or the inclination to break him back to his basic structure."

She bit her lip and said nothing. It did not bode well for them if someone was capable of tracking Battousai… and that he had been tracked by someone from the past made her wary. Ten years ago, following the wake of the Bakumatsu, there had been an attempt to kill Battousai's shishou, a powerful vampire who was responsible for a great deal of the order in the vampire world. That conflict had ended messily with a vampire Shishio's failed attempt to assassinate both Battousai and Hiko. It was not impossible that someone would be trying again so soon but the idea made her very, very nervous.

Battousai stood suddenly. "You may hunt when I return."

Megumi nodded, not willing to speak when he had that particular look on his face.

X

Sano rubbed his suddenly aching forehead with a sigh. He supposed that he should have seen this one coming. Kaoru's friends and family operated on a schedule that was easily predictable. He figured they had another day and a half before Tae started poking her nose around, but Gensai he had hoped to avoid all together. The elderly doctor's visits were always a bit random as he checked in on Kaoru. It was difficult to believe it had only been a few days since Battousai had taken over the dojo and this was certainly a complication they hadn't needed. Dr. Gensai was nice for a human – and his granddaughters were undeniably cute – but they did not need him anywhere near the dojo while Battousai was around. The flimsy excuse that Kaoru was off teaching would only hold up for so long.

They needed a plan, because once Kaoru was on her feet there would be changes she would have to learn to hide. Greater strength, lack of breathing patterns… the need for blood…While he knew that Kaoru would never attack someone she loved – Battousai was different and he _didn't_ think Battousai was one who would attack small children… at least; there hadn't been any rumors of that sort of taste since the Bakumatsu.

A soft noise from the dojo had him slipping back inside and hurrying to Kaoru. She had been almost-wakening for a few hours now and he didn't want her to be alone when she did. He slipped inside just in time to see her eyes flutter open.

"Sano?"

Her words cracked as she tried to form them and he shook his head at her.

"Don't try to move."

She blinked at him and swallowed, blue eyes fever bright. She shut them and her face contorted in a grimace as she shifted her weight. Sano cursed and reached out and patted her hand, carefully.

"Don't move Jou-chan. It's going to be okay."

Sano figured having your gift ripped open, being partially changed by a crazed vampire, being poisoned and then having the change finished by _another_ vampire was enough to make anything not all right, but he hoped. He hoped that she had pulled through the change successfully and that the poison wouldn't leave any lasting damage.

"What… what happened?" Her voice was pained and very faint. Sano wondered how much of the conversation she would remember. Her skin was too hot for a vampire's. He didn't know anything about fevers or blood poisoning.

But he _had_ to answer her questions.

"Battousai found you and brought you back."

She took a slow breath and her eyes fluttered shut before she forced them open. "Battousai?"

Sano ran a hand through his hair in agitation. He was almost ashamed of his relief when he felt Yahiko quickly approaching the room, having heard her voice. A second later Yahiko was almost skidding across the floor.

"You woke up!" He shoved Sano out of his way and curled his fingers around hers, eyes wide with relief. "You're okay."

Kaoru gave him a ghost of a smile before her eyes slid shut again.

"_Hurt_."

Sano curled his hands into fists. "I know. It will stop soon."

"Promise?"

Yahiko lifted his eyes to Sano in a silent question. Sano shook his head. It would do no good to explain what had happened now when she was so ill. Better to save that for later. When she was physically capable of handling it.

Kaoru's fingers fluttered a little and then her _ki_ and human breathing smoothed out, a sure sign she was asleep.

"You didn't tell her." Yahiko whispered.

"Telling her would serve no purpose." Megumi's voice cut into the conversation before Sano had a chance to respond. "You want her to live, don't you?"

Yahiko whipped around, his eyes burning. "What do you know?

Megumi twisted her lips into a mocking smile. "How many times do I have to tell you that her life is dependent on her will to live? She has lived a lifetime of pathetic human morals. How well do you think she is going to take the information that her life now depends on the life of something she once was?"

"Better us than Battousai!" Yahiko snapped.

Megumi stared at him with grave eyes. "Do you think so?"

"Shut up." Sano warned her.

"You just don't get it, do you?" She snapped, tossing her hair. "If you give her any reason to die, any reason at all…. He won't bother to kill us quickly. So if I think either of you are attempting to compromise this… well, wood isn't the only poison that can kill vampires and I know them all."

"You think we're scared of you?" Yahiko snapped, leaping to his feet to glare at her. "Do you think we care for what you think _at all_?"

Megumi's dark eyes narrowed into slits. "You don't get it, do you?"

Sano was on his feet now and glaring at her as well. "Get what?"

"Battousai bound her."

"What?"

Megumi tossed her hair and sneered at them. "He _changed her _and_ he __bound her_." She laughed at their stunned expressions. "You didn't think he would waste all that blood and power from the goodness of his heart, did you?"

"Shut up," Yahiko snapped. "Just _shut up._"

Sano eyes were hard. "Kaoru is ours."

"Kaoru is his and when he leaves, he'll take her with him."

"Like you?" Yahiko snarled.

Megumi took a half a step back and then glared at him. "You don't know anything."

Sano crossed his arms. "You're fucking _changed_, aren't you? He changed you too. You were human."

She paled a little and then lifted her chin. "It doesn't matter. He won't let her go and you had better deal with it. Because he will kill you both to make his point to Kaoru. Keep that in mind."

Yahiko sneered at her, "Like you know anything."

Megumi tossed her hair and turned. "I know enough. Which is more than you do."

X

Kenshin moved quietly through the shadowed areas of Tokyo. There was the occasional policeman wandering, but the majority of the citizens seemed to be sleeping heavily in their futon. While he had passed a ridiculous number of dojo, he had yet to feel a plausible threat. He knew that one of the Wolves of Mibu kept watch in the city, but he wasn't interested in looking for old battles.

Many things were changing in the world and as far as he could see, for the better. The number of humans who had the ability to train their children to sense _ki_ – the number who wanted to – was lowering. The war had destroyed the need for Samurai and that took the edge off of the human's defenses against his kind. In a few generations, even the small number of vampire hunters would begin to decline as their resources dwindled. Even now, Shinomori was planning for a time when onimitsu services wouldn't be as necessary.

But tonight he was hunting.

His eyes narrowed as he studied a household, taking in the feel of the _ki_ inside. If Kaoru had been hunting with him, he would have needed to be more… selective with his prey. But since it was his blood she would be feeding off of for the next few days, it hardly mattered. He wasn't in the mood to deal with someone who thought they could put up a fight, so softer prey it was.

His lips curled. He had just the one in mind. Sliding through the shadows, he worked his way to one of the tags he had placed on the humans who had delayed his hunt in the marketplace a few days ago. It was far too easy to slide through the dojo on silent feet. The girl wasn't even aware of his presence until he had already struck, her struggles weak and easy to overpower.

He took only what he needed before twisting her neck until it snapped. Let her father think what he would. The bite marks were already fading and he would leave no sign of his passage; fair payment for the weak taste of her blood on his tongue as he started his way back to the dojo.

He knew that a fair number of low class vampires had been making their way to Tokyo, hoping to find new territories to mark as their own as the new capital expanded. Kyoto was divided and quartered among those who had the strength to hold their own and it was a bloody, endless cycle. Kenshin was fairly certain that there were one or two strong vampires sitting in the city – and that they were keeping a close watch on his activities.

That one of them was arrogant enough to involve himself in an attempt to find and kill his shishou did little to improve his temper. While he was certain there were very few who had the power and resources to take on the organization his shishou had built over the years, he had no doubt some would try. That they were trying a mere ten years after the massacre he had made of Kyoto….

And they had been confident enough to use Jineh. A sign of arrogance and stupidity. Jineh had little respect for anything and would have turned on his 'master.' While it was clear his adversary had the brains to use a memory touch… it would only delay the inevitable.

The message he had sent Shinomori should be arriving soon. Which meant they could be expecting company soon enough. Until then, he supposed he would have to get Kaoru back on her feet.

A smile curled the edges of his lips. Yes, and once she was... then the fun could start.

X

Kaoru struggled past the thick fog that had wrapped around her brain while she had been sleeping. Her body felt almost unnaturally heavy and the room was almost unbearably warm. Groaning a little, she shifted her weight and stilled when that sent a wash of pain through most of her body. That woke her up enough to be aware of the burning sensation that seemed to start in her hand and move up her arm and into her shoulder.

Forcing her eyes open, she tried to catch her bearings.

"You're finally awake." The mild voice had her squeezing her eyes shut in disbelief. What was he doing in her room? She ignored the way she could sense the echo of power that had been pulling at her insides since his arrival shift through her at his words.

"Awake?" The word was difficult to push out of her throat.

"It is time to feed."

She worked up the strength to open her eyes again. He had moved so he was sitting next to her – how had she not noticed? – and she was propped up with one elbow on his thigh. The ends of his long hair brushed her stomach and she swallowed back the thick feeling of her tongue.

"What?"

Her voice was soft and cracked halfway through her words.

He sighed; lashes lowered to hide his eyes for a moment before he brought his wrist to his mouth and tore it open with his fangs. At the smell of blood, her insides twisted. Not in disgust… but…

"I don't need to _'feed'_. Human's don't need to…"

Battousai smiled, the faintest curving of his lips. "No, they don't."

She froze. Horror clawed at her insides and she stared at him. No…

"Ji… neh?"

"He tried," Battousai said. He clucked his tongue. "I couldn't let all that precious power you've been hiding go to that sort of waste could I?"

"You… changed…"

"I bound you." He corrected his tongue curling over the point of one fang. "And now it is time to feed."

"I don't need to feed!" Panic mingled with the horror and she desperately tried to think of a way out of her current situation.

"Oh?" Eyes locked on hers, he brought his bleeding wrist to his mouth and deliberately licked the wound closed. Slowly working his way down his arm, he cleaned the blood from his arm before swiping his tongue along his bottom lip.

It felt like her stomach had dropped to her ankles. Her breathing was coming in uneven little hitches and he braced himself on the futon with both hands and leaned forward.

"Wonder how I taste?"

"No." She turned her head away and shut her eyes, hard. _Oh kami_…

Hot breath ghosted by her ear. "You will feed. I did not save you to let you starve yourself."

Her lips trembled and she pressed them together. Her eyes, she kept squeezed shut.

"I changed you. I gave you life. Don't think I'll let you waste that."

She snapped her neck around and stared at him. "No."

"No?"

She fisted her hands. "You…" she trembled with the force of her emotions and the way power churned under her skin frightened her. "What did you do?"

"Took away your human weakness; at least in your blood. No more excuses." He stared at her with a predatory gleam in his eyes. "You will feed."

"No."

"I can make you," he said, his voice soft. "I won't even have to work too hard because once your body tastes blood; you will not stop until your hunger is sated. You're so weak you wouldn't be able to stop me."

She swallowed at the way his fingers slipped through her bangs.

"But I won't have to."

Her mouth went dry at the expression on his face as he leaned so close that his breath ghosted across her lips and down her chin. She didn't flinch this time, didn't run. But she wanted to and her body trembled with weakness.

"Tell me, Kaoru," the way he said her name had the muscles in her stomach tightening. "Are you prepared to let your family watch you die? To slowly starve to death, weakening a little more each day until they beg you to eat?"

His eyes gleamed as he dragged his fingers along the bare skin of her arm. The move would have been almost affectionate with anyone else but the intent in his eyes made had her jerking away.

"Yahiko is an orphan, isn't he?"

"I..." She swallowed at the sharp expression in his gaze. She forced the weakness to the back of her mind and refused to drop his gaze. "You don't care about Yahiko."

"No," he agreed. "But you do."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Then why..."

He laughed, low in his throat. But as he lifted his wrist back to his fangs, his expression was hard. "Because I will make him watch, little Kaoru; every moment you refuse my help. He will beg." Blood welled down his wrist and he offered it again.

She felt sick. Part of her was curled up in the back of her mind and trembling away from the very idea and the rest of her… wanted. It beat at her mind and her body and it craved what he was offering. She could almost feel the strength of his blood and she trembled almost violently as she gave in.

Because he was right. She wouldn't let Yahiko suffer that way. Almost against her will fangs broke through her gums and she shut her eyes tightly as she was forced to bring his wrist to her mouth. The muscles along his forearm bunched at the first careful swipe of her tongue. Heat rushed down her throat and into her stomach and her world swam behind her eyes and by the time she got her bearings, her fangs were buried in the veins beneath her mouth and she was sucking greedily.

Getting a grip, she jerked away, ignoring the agony that spiked through her muscles. Shaking hard enough for her teeth to rattle, she locked her hands into fists as his hand smoothed down her hair, fingers combing through the knots almost gently.

"Why?"

The words came out ragged and she shivered away from his touch.

"Because I bound you," He said mildly, his tone colored by amusement that she knew was directed at her. At her reaction. She licked her lips nervously and swallowed hard at the linger taste of his blood on her lips.

Warm, calloused fingers curled around her chin and lifted her mouth. His eyes were shadowed by his bangs and she couldn't read anything in them. Then one edge of his mouth kicked up and he leaned in and dragged his tongue across her bottom lip. She tried to move away, but his other hand had fisted in her hair and held her while he licked her mouth clean before nibbling a sharp path along her bottom lip.

"Because I own you."

Heat – _anger_ she told herself – rushed through her veins at his words and she strained against his hold, ignoring the pain in her scalp.

"You do not!"

He laughed. She stilled at the sound. The low, warm sound wasn't mocking and harsh but… honestly amused.

"Shall I test that?" He drawled, eyes glinting as he trailed a finger along her jaw, ignoring the way she strained against him. "It will be interesting to see how long you hold out against me."

She jerked her chin up and stared at him. "I don't believe you."

He smiled. "You will. But now… now it is time for you to rest. My blood will finish your healing. We will finish this later… and I shall enjoy proving just how much you belong to me."

He stood easily and she stared at him with furious, exhausted eyes.

"And Kaoru... I don't share."

X

Sano watched as Megumi tore long strips of linen into precise bandages. It seemed to be a more of a habit than an actual chore, since most vampires healed quickly. He didn't think that Megumi was the type to go around healing injured humans. Crossing his arms, he narrowed his eyes.

What was it about the irritating woman that caught his attention? Her attitude was shit and she had absolutely no concern for anything other than her own skin. He supposed spending several years with Battousai would do that to a vampire…. But her prickly attitude was more than that. He could feel it.

He just wanted to know why he cared.

Scowling, he was about the leave when he caught sight of faint, ribbon like slashes across the skin of her left arm. To scar a vampire took intent and enough _ki_ to leave behind an impression. Standing straight, he stared at the almost childish looking lines and narrowed his eyes.

Someone had attempted to skin her.

"What did you do to get those scars?"

Even the scars on Battousai's face – no one was sure how he had gotten them – had started to fade. In another decade they would be gone completely but these looked fresh. No more than a year or two old. Perhaps longer, if she was still coming into her strength.

"That is none of your business."

Her voice was frozen ice and the bite to it had Sano taking a step back reflexively before pushing himself to his full height and starring down at her. Apparently that was a sensitive area.

"Someone didn't like the fact you were made, did they?"

He knew the political game well enough. Being made by a vampire like Battousai would have given her enough power that she could hold her own among the born and there were many who would not like that. Or they didn't appreciate her attitude. That he could understand.

Megumi went very still before she went back to folding the sterile cloth. "Do you wish for me to kill you?"

Sano smirked at that, rolling his fish bone along his teeth. "And how would you go about doing that? Whatever gifts you have, you're still made."

Megumi rose gracefully and eyes like chips of ice. "You know nothing."

Sano watched the shoji door slide shut before slumping his shoulders and thinking. His warning to her was honest enough. He was stronger, but he was suddenly uncomfortable with the expression in her eyes. Someone had hurt her badly and he didn't think it was Battousai. Physical torture did seem to be something he would do but he seemed to like his little toys in one piece. The asshole better not hurt Kaoru.

So it was likely someone had gone after her because they could. There was a certain amount of racial dislike, even hate, for those who were not born with their fangs. But who the fuck would get close enough to Battousai's little pet healer to hurt her that severely?

Frowning, he went to look for Yahiko.

X

Kaoru was sleeping soundly when he returned to her room. The sun had set some hours ago and he welcomed the quiet. He wasn't particularly concerned about her instincts waking her as he settled into her room and he studied her unconscious form with a critical eye.

Her color was better and her body was taking the adjustments well. Her breathing patterns had finally stopped and he doubted she had noticed. Satisfied that he would not have to tend to her that evening; he settled against the wall and leaned his katana against his shoulder.

Allowing himself to relax within the safety of his own wards, he worked his way through what information he had gathered. His subordinate had finally gotten back in touch and was making his way to Tokyo with a package. It was fitting that he had already summoned Shinomori. The next few days would be most… amusing.

The new arrivals would also give him some unexpected assistance in dealing with the current issues. His gut told him that whoever had hired Jineh would have sent someone else in to deal with whatever the crazy vampire had failed to accomplish. He would need to lay down better wards.

Yes... the coming days would most certainly be... fun.

* * *

**_Please comment_**


	6. Chapter Six

Re-posted: 11-4-10

* * *

Kaoru felt like she had been sick for a year. After Battousai… after he…

She just didn't want to think about it. What mattered was that she was feeling a little better and had even managed to lever herself into a sitting position. She still felt hot and cold by turns, and her hands shook as she watched them, but she was sitting up. She needed to be sitting up. Running her hands over her face, she tried to find a way to center herself.

She was a vampire. Oh kami - he had changed her. Swallowing painfully, she tried to absorb what that meant. And failed. How was a person supposed to deal with that? The sudden shift – the complete change in her perspective. How was she supposed to live like this? Why…?

She swallowed again and cradled her head in her hands. Why – he had said power. That he wanted her power. The very idea made her insides shake and the fear was suffocating. Taking deep, calming breaths, she forced herself through the familiar meditation paces to get back under control. She wouldn't go into hysterics. She wouldn't.

He had saved her. From Jineh. No – he had saved her after she had escaped Jineh. She had saved herself – mostly. That counted. So he had changed her. He claimed to have bound her – she wasn't certain she knew what that meant.

Rubbing her temples, she tried to dispel her growing headache.

"You should be lying down."

Battousai's tone was pleasant but it stiffened her spine anyway. Slowly, she tilted her head just enough to watch him through the curtain of her hair. He was leaning against the door jam, one hand resting lightly on the hilt of his katana.

She couldn't read his expression so she chose to say nothing. He lifted a brow at her lack of response and glided into the room, the shouji making a soft noise as it slid shut. She didn't need to see the amused gleam in his expression to know how vulnerable she was at the moment. Dressed in her sleeping yukata and feeling weaker than she could remember, she was extremely uncomfortable with his presence.

"No sharp words today, Kaoru?"

She flinched internally at the way he curled his tongue around her name, a slow murmur that had heat fluttering in her gut. She didn't dare take her eyes off of him as he continued to move in her direction.

"Such a pity," Battousai said with a slight smile as he settled on the futon next to her. She did flinch when his fingers reached out and tangled in the loose ends of her hair. She wished he wasn't so close but bit back the words before they could emerge.

He was daring her to respond.

"What do you want?" Her voice was raspy from disuse and fainter than she wished, but it didn't tremble with the nerves that were eating her alive.

His yellow gaze slid over her form. "I already have what I want."

She curled her fingers into the blanket as he rolled her hair around his knuckles and tugged. He seemed more amused by her silent unease than annoyed and there was laziness to his posture that she hadn't seen before.

"Let go."

The edge of his mouth curled to show off the tip of a fang. "No."

"Why not?" Kaoru was losing energy fast, but she refused to be walked on. And if she was unconscious then maybe she wouldn't notice the next time he…

"I've already told you that you belong to me now, pet."

"I am not your pet."

He lifted a brow at her. "No?"

She honestly didn't see him move. She wanted to blame it on her exhaustion, but by the time she had realized what his intentions were he had pulled her onto the tops of his thighs. His fingers fisted at the nape of her neck, while the knuckles still wrapped with the ends of her hair tilted her chin up. His kiss was firm and controlled, lips moving across hers in a way that rolled her stomach. She trembled at the brief stroke of his tongue against her lips but nothing prepared her for when he sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down, hard. She jerked at the sensation of his fangs sliding through skin and would have pushed against his chest; except he tightened his told on her hair and forced her to hold still.

Unexpected heat washed through her and she shuddered, shutting her eyes tightly. The pressure of his mouth against hers as he pulled blood from her lip left her clenching the blanket tightly in one fist. Then his teeth were retracting, tongue stroking across the sting of his bite until she was panting in short, uneven breaths.

The hand in her hair loosened and she opened her eyes. His pupils were swallowing the gold and she felt vaguely lightheaded as he dragged his tongue across his bottom lip. The expression on his face did nothing to slow her breathing and she swallowed.

"Well," Battousai mused, dragging his knuckled down the side of her throat. Lazily his eyes followed the motion, "how unexpected."

She kept herself perfectly still, desperately trying to still the short, gasping breaths. The drag of his skin against hers was doing all sorts of interesting things to her insides and she could feel something start to stir in her blood.

"I told you that you belonged to me."

She set her teeth and met his gaze. "I am not your pet."

"I bound you, Kaoru. You are what I say you are."

She tilted her chin and ignored the lazy patterns his fingers were making on her skin. "I am not created or broken by your words, Battousai."

"Are you not?" He leaned forward so that their noses were almost touching. "You tremble at my touch. I can feel the way your _ki_ reaches for mine and blood does not lie."

She refused to retreat although she was starting to feel light headed. "I don't care."

He laughed suddenly, the sound rolling from deep in his chest. "I suppose you don't but…"

She gasped as he rolled her so that she was suddenly flat on her back and staring up at him. His body was warm above hers and she wanted to retreat at the expression on his face. He had curled his fingers around her wrists, pinning her body with his. He leaned down so that his long hair brushed her cheek.

"I don't have to lie to you, Kaoru. Not when the truth is so much more fun." He leaned down so his lips brushed her ear. "Do you know why you can't fight me the same way you fought Jineh? Why your gift it sitting just under your skin, reacting to my every touch, curling through you in invitation instead of fighting?"

She swallowed. "No."

"Because I claimed you as mine," His tongue slid along the rim of her ear. "I believe the word you are used to is… mate."

She jerked against his hold and he dragged the tip of his fang against her ear lobe. "Your gift will not fight mine. It craves it instead."

"Let go of me," she managed to force the words out of her throat. She stared at him stubbornly. "I don't care what you did. You cannot just order me to give into you. I won't. I _won't_."

"You can't fight me, Kaoru. Not where it counts… not anymore. Perhaps I should give you a demonstration?"

The hand in her hair tightened again and she stiffed her body but he tilted her head back anyway. Bracing one hand on his thigh and the other clawing for leverage, she tried to wiggle away from him. Her body froze on its own accord when his hot breath ghosted down the skin of her throat. Eyes wide, she stared at the ceiling. The sensation of his mouth on her neck had every nerve ending in her body leaping to awareness. Her heart was hammering in her ears and she dug her nails into his thigh as his teeth scraped a stinging path down her throat. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shuddered at the brush of his tongue against her pulse point.

Tension – hot and unexpected – coiled in the pit of her stomach. One of his hands left the back of her neck and slid down the line of her spine, his touch burning through the thin fabric of her yukata. A half-suppressed moan escaped her just as his tongue flicked out against her skin once, twice, and then his fangs sank deep.

Her spine arched and she might have screamed. All she knew was that her world spun and dipped and curved; the tangled knot of power and unease released in her chest. When she managed to come back to her senses she was sprawled against Battousai's chest, cheek resting on the muscle of his upper arm while he flicked his tongue against her skin in soft, deliberate strokes. Every muscle in her body was limp and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't work up enough control to pull away from him.

His lips skimmed up her neck to her jaw. "You belong to me."

She shook her head against his shoulder and his body vibrated with his amusement.

"No? Well, I've always enjoyed a good challenge." His fangs skimmed her ear and she shivered in his arms. She swallowed the words that wanted to fly out at his statement and the gleam in his expression as he pulled back enough for her to read what his eyes said he knew.

"So stubborn – how unfortunate for you that your instincts agree with me," his smile was thin and sharp enough to cut. "How long do you think you will hold out before you share my bed? Even now I can feel the way your _ki_ crawls though mine."

His thumb brushed her bottom lip and she jerked her head away from him. Before she could react to his words or his touch, her vision swam. His image shifted, blurred at the edges and little sparkles colored his face in dark reds and blacks. Just as quickly, his expression was sharp and clear as before. This time, his mouth was twisted down and his eyes had narrowed in an expression she hadn't seen before.

"You should be more careful, pet. How easily I can bend it against you."

"Bend what?" She rasped out finally.

"Your gift – as your mate, you may no longer use it against me. But it was reminding me it was there." His eyes glittered.

The next instant she found herself neatly tucked into her futon. The careful movements of his hand were more nerve wracking than his violent ones.

"It appears I will have to finish this conversation with you later. Until then, you should rest. I will return with your next meal soon. And Kaoru – you will not fight me on that subject again."

She watched him go with troubled eyes.

X

Yahiko stared at the shuriken that had pinned a message to the railing of the dojo. The unpolished metal glinted in the morning light and he clenched his fists together tightly. Today had started out promising. It was warm enough that the humans at the market had been sweating and Kaoru was feeling better. And now _this_. He could feel the pulse of _ki_ someone had imbedded into it and he wasn't in a hurry to find out what would happen if he touched it. But it was what the weapon meant that had made him edgy and uncomfortable.

As a rule, ninja weren't particularly friendly to anyone outside of their clan. Yahiko knew that there were rumors linking Battousai to the Oniwabanshu but – he had hoped they weren't true. The idea that Battousai had an ninja clan at his beck and call sent ice down his spine. Ninja clans didn't let anyone in and vampire ninja clans were worse. They bred themselves to certain skills, killed off anyone who they thought were weak and generally made themselves difficult.

So he would just wait for someone to notice it was out here. Like Megumi. He hoped she touched it and lost fingers. He almost felt guilty for his intense dislike, but the memory of her expression as she looked at Kaoru… well, the bitch was going to get what she deserved eventually. She was refusing to let Kaoru out of her room, hardly off the futon until Battousai cleared it. The idea that she felt she could just come in and order them around grated on his nerves. And then Battousai…

Battousai – feeding for himself and Kaoru. He clenched his teeth. When Sano had suggested that Battousai had taken her as his mate Yahiko had refused to believe it. But it was impossible to ignore. Kaoru was refusing to talk about it. Not that he had approached her with the subject, but Sano had and almost had his head torn off.

Rubbing his face, he lifted his head in time to watch Battousai lift the throwing star as if the burst of _ki_ wasn't even there. He lifted his head, yellow eyes scanning the ground as if looking for a sign of someone.

Pointing, Yahiko stared at him. "Who left that?"

Battousai lifted a brow. "I don't see how that concerns you."

Yahiko dropped his eyes at the lazy threat in the vampire's gaze and turned his attention back to the dojo. Soft, slow steps caught his attention and he turned in surprise. He didn't stick around to see what Battousai would do. Instead, he slid open the shouji and moved quickly to her side.

"Kaoru!"

The fact that she didn't argue as he helped support her weight worried him.

"You should be in bed," Yahiko hissed.

"I want fresh air." Kaoru's tone was soft but there was steel in her voice as she reached up and patted him on the head. "I'm fine."

"Are you?" Battousai didn't even have to turn to look at her, his attention on the note in front of him. But the tone to his voice held an edge to it.

Setting her jaw, Kaoru ignored his hostility. Her head still felt a little woozy, but now that she was up and moving she _did_ feel better. Yahiko was starring at her with a frown on his face and she shook her head in warning. She didn't want any more lectures.

"Oi, Jou-chan!" Sano said as he turned the corner, grin wide enough to almost dislodge his fishbone. "'Bout time you started moving around."

"She should still be in bed."

Megumi said coolly as she walked around the corner, her eyes raking over her form. Her lips compressed in disapproval. Kaoru met her eyes head on and refused to flinch. Sano muttered something and shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"Megumi," Battousai's voice slid through the growing argument like honey. He held up the throwing star between two fingers. To Kaoru's surprise, Megumi flinched.

Kaoru tilted her head down in question at Yahiko who shook his head. Before she could ask what was going on, Battousai was walking in her direction.

"Go back to your futon."

"No."

His mouth curled at the edges but his eyes were flat. "No?"

She lifted her chin and glared at him. The tip of his tongue curled against a fang as he watched her but before either of them could make a move; an unexpected flicker of _ki_ caught everyone's attention. It was followed closely by the sounds of her gate creaking open and she twisted around to see who was there.

Kaoru blinked at the pair that entered through the dojo gate.

The male looked to be about her age, with a grin firmly in place on his features. The girl looked even younger, with a long braid that was wrapped around the knuckles and forearm of the man's left arm. His free hand was settled firmly against the hilt of his sword. They felt like vampires.

Battousai's breath ghosted down her neck and she jerked forward in surprise. "Do not defy me again."

Before she could flinch, he was already around her to meet the strangers.

"Soujiro. Misao."

Misao crossed her arms and glared at him. "I can't believe you let that bastard talk you into sending your pet _hound_ after me, Himura."

Soujiro smiled and then bowed deeply, his expression almost rueful "Shishou, I have brought her as ordered. Catching her was less difficult than actually keeping her." He lifted his hand in emphasis.

Misao swore at both of them.

"Shinomori will be sometime in the next two days, so there is no point in running again." Battousai said mildly. "And you knew it was a possibility, Misao."

"I did not run." Misao said through clenched teeth, her cheeks turning pink with temper. "I _left_. Did you actually expect me to stick around after he dared _sell me off_?"

"It doesn't matter. He'll be here and so will you."

Misao's eyes narrowed and her eyes flickered behind him. "I see you still have your little experiment. How are you doing, _Megumi_?"

The venom that dripped from that tone had Kaoru taking a step back. There was such loathing in her eyes that Kaoru was surprised Megumi hadn't flinched.

"You will not touch her." Battousai warned. He motioned with his hand. "Go inside Misao. If you run, I will hunt you. You will not enjoy it."

She lifted her chin and started to say something, but apparently changed her mind. Reaching over to jerk on her hair, Soujiro simply continued to smile as he unraveled her braid from around his knuckles and wrist. Tossing the long rope behind her back, she marched up the steps, face tense. For a single moment, Misao's gaze clashed with Kaoru's and the surprise and curiosity there were unexpected.

"Who the hell are they?" Sano questioned finally, hands shoved into his pockets. Megumi gave him a cold look before turning on her heel and heading to the back of the dojo grounds, her gait stiff.

Battousai's eyes cut over before he started moving down the dojo steps. "You will find out soon enough. Soujiro, come with me."

"Yes, _shishou_."

Kaoru leaned against the wall, watching as the two vampires left the grounds of the dojo. More strange vampires. Feeling suddenly tired, she reached up and rubbed her face.

"Who is Shinomori?"

"I only know of one." Sano murmured morosely. "Shinomori Aoshi, Okashira of the Kyoto Oniwabanshu."

"Who?"

"Oniwabanshu," Sano said in a grim tone. "Battousai's pet ninja clan – vampires don't usually get along to well in groups but that clan manages it. They're dangerous."

"But … why would he come here?" Kaoru stared at her family.

Yahiko scowled and shrugged. "Who knows – sounds like it had something to do with that girl. Look, you should get some rest."

"Yahiko…"

Sano reached over and scooped her up. "No arguing, jou-chan. Sounds like you're going to need your energy."

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	7. Chapter Seven

Re-Posted 11-5-10

**Lime Warning. Violence Warning. Suggested Adult Themes.**

* * *

Kaoru stared at Misao. "You cannot be serious?"

Misao tilted her head. "What do I look not serious about? You needed to get out of the dojo and Himura didn't complain over lunch when I said I wanted to whisk you out. _What else_ could we possibly want to do?"

Kaoru closed her eyes for a moment. Misao had been had been there for almost two day now, whomever she and Battousai were waiting for hadn't yet made an appearance. After her arrival, she had spent most of the afternoon sleeping. Thankfully, this morning she had woken feeling much, much better. And Misao was right. Battousai hadn't complained other than a quirk of his brow and a shift of _ki_ that had washed over them; brushing slowly against her skin as if looking for weaknesses. Instead of terrifying her as it did before, the cold of him had settled over her skin like comfort. Shoving that thought away – _nothing_ about that vampire was comforting – she sighed. Whatever he had done in that split second, Misao hadn't managed to prance more than three feet from her without grimacing.

And Misao pranced about a lot.

"But…" she opened her eyes stared at the fabric that Misao was holding in her hands; Misao liked to _shop_. She had been dragged throughout the market and in and out of a variety of stalls and now they were looking over kimono fabric. Kaoru was starting to feel tired. To think she had thought it had been a good idea to get up and move about today. Reaching up, she rubbed her face. Who knew the one vampire other than her boys she would take an instinct liking to would have the energy of a child. She was a vampire who was seemingly unafraid of Battousai and she just… turned everything into a _whirlwind_. Yet, Kaoru still liked her, even if Misao had marched her into a little stall with too much fabric and way too expensive prices.

"Misao, please slow down."

Misao sighed, bouncing on her toes as she considered those words before finally nodding.

"Alright. We have enough fabric for three new kimono for you and one for me. I suppose we can find a place to sit… or I can teach you to hunt."

Kaoru paled and she swallowed. "Why?"

Misao gave her a searching look before tugging her over to a quieter alley. She bared her teeth at a shadow and it slithered away. "Hunting is what you do know, Kaoru. Do you really want to be dependent on Himura for the rest of eternity?"

Misao's face was open, curious. Sano had thought the open hostility towards Megumi was due to her being made and warned Kaoru about being around Misao, but the small vampire had apparently taken to Kaoru the same way Kaoru had taken to her. But it didn't explain this sudden concern about her being able to feed.

Kaoru licked her dry lips. "I… no, but…"

"I didn't realize you were twitchy about killing." Misao said finally, crossing her arms. "Why?"

"It's… it's what I believe." She tilted her chin. "My family teaches Kamiya Kasshin Ryu… we try to save lives, not take them."

Misao tucked her brows together and chewed on her bottom lip before sighing. "Well, I don't know what to say to that. I can tell you that as nice an idea as that is, you're not always going to have a choice. Especially now. Even if Himura kills the human for you, you're still going to be responsible for that death."

Kaoru looked away. "I know."

"One of your parents was one of us." Misao said gently. "That means that they tried and failed to escape what they were. Don't make that same mistake."

"I hate what I am."

"Why? Because you have to kill?" Misao's expression was suddenly unreadable. But something told Kaoru it wasn't their conversation necessarily that worried her.

"Yes."

"Don't be. We were put here for a reason, yes? You don't think our people were made to be an evil blight to humanity, do you? Everything has natural predators Kaoru. If it makes you uncomfortable, then we'll stick to the shadier parts of town; those are people who run the risk every day of dying from a blade to the back. Fangs are just a neater, cleaner way to go."

Kaoru swallowed. "I just…"

Misao patted her on the shoulder. "Think of it this way… either I can help you learn or Battousai will. My way might be less traumatic."

Before Kaoru could find a way to respond to that, Misao hissed between her teeth and grabbed her wrist, yanking her deeper into the shadows. The world shifted suddenly, and it was as if she had stepped into a thin veil that blocked most of the light. Like the sky was suddenly overcast with the dark clouds of a storm. Her hands reached out to clutch at Misao.

"Misao?"

"I'm sorry… I… he's already here. I wasn't expecting that. Battousai said soon but…" Her voice was whisper soft and vibrated with more emotion than Kaoru would have imagined.

Kaoru turned to see who she was looking at and paused. He was head and shoulders taller than almost everyone else on the street. His lean figure cut a swath through the crowds; face carved in sharp lines with dark a hair that fell messily across his forehead. Kaoru couldn't see his eyes but the impression he gave was cold and uninviting.

"He can't see us, but he knows I'm here. Let's head back to the dojo so I can lock myself into a room and pretend I can't feel him." Misao dragged her forward.

"Where… what is this?"

"This? Oh… these are the shadows. My gift is to be able to walk through them. It's one of the gifts ninja clan breed. If you see anything really big, sort of like an oily cloud… just sort of avoid it and let me know, okay?"

"What? Why?"

"They tend to feed on souls. And gifts, now that I think about it, but they don't leave enough soul behind to matter… but there very nice to look at!"

Kaoru tightened her grip on Misao.

X

When they returned to the dojo, only Sano and Yahiko were there. Or at least, they were the only visible occupants. So she managed to catch Yahiko and had him running through some rudimentary drills. She was forced to watch as she didn't have a pair of the gloves that Yahiko used. She had already felt the affects of wood poisoning once and didn't want to do it again.

Walking back down the hall, she jumped in surprise when someone slid up behind her. Twisting around, she found herself almost nose to nose with Battousai.

"Would you not do that?"

Before he could answers, a flash of movement in the courtyard had her looking over his shoulder to see Misao squaring off against the tall man from the market. She couldn't see Misao's face but his was flat and hard.

Before she could go and help, Battousai hands settled on her arms. "You were considering finding gloves to play with those silly pieces of wood."

Her attention snapped back to him immediately. "Yes."

He lifted a brow at her, eyes glittering. "That is not a wise idea. The wood is as dangerous to you as it is your enemies."

"I don't care."

The edges of his lips curled and she was suddenly very uncomfortably aware, suddenly, of how alone they were in the dojo. "You will use a katana, Kaoru."

"I don't…"

His body shifted against hers and suddenly her back was flat against the wall and his lips brushed her temple with every word.

"_I_ don't care. A silly piece of wood will not save you if you need to defend yourself. You will use what I give you."

She shoved him and he stepped back, expression amused. Before she could decide where she wanted to start, he pulled the second sword she hadn't noticed away from his belt and tossed it to her. She caught it on reflex alone.

"That will do until we can get to Kyoto. Defend yourself."

Her eyes widened as he unsheathed his own blade. She barely had time to bring the sheathed sword up to block his blow. Her fingers went numb from the force of the strike.

"This is not wood, so it will take impact differently. I suggest you figure out how and soon." Battousai drawled as he used the leverage his longer arms gave him to hold her in place.

She slid the katana free and moved away from him, eyes narrowed. What was he doing? Whatever point he was trying to prove, he was much faster than her. He held his strikes back but she still faltered as she tried to adjust to the new weight and balance of the weapon in her hand. She barely had time to think. Swearing mentally, she ducked under another strike and tried to track him with her eyes.

Just as something sparked in the corner of her eye, he flattened her up against a wall, the edge of his blade lightly pressed against her cheek. To her disgust he was hardly breathing hard. She wasn't sweating as badly as she should have been, but her muscles and hands felt the vibrations still.

Those strange sparks at the corner of her eyes were making it hard to see and she realized with a shock that those sparks were gathering close to Kenshin. Was… _ki_? She was seeing his _ki_? With her gift?

"You have a lot to learn, but your basic form is solid." He sounded amused. Without thinking she grabbed at those lines and sparks and shoved. He staggered back, something flickering across his face too fast to catch.

Then his eyes narrowed into slits of hot yellow and he raked her with his gaze. Suddenly nervous, she tilted her chin and stared at him. The edge of his mouth kicked up in a way that made her feel something else entirely and then he was sheathing his blade and moving away.

What had just happened?

Sliding down the wall, she curled her knees into her chest and sighed heavily. Running her fingers through her bangs, she grimaced. For the first time that she could remember, she wasn't breathing hard after a bought of hard work. Shivering, she stared fiercely at the wood floor and just tried not to think.

Misao scowled at Aoshi before turning to watch Himura walk past them, his expression thoughtful. From what little she of the fight she had watched out of the corner of her eye, Kaoru had managed to hold her own in there; even if it _had_ been clear that Himura hadn't been pushing hard. Since she had seen vampires train for most their lives falter at even that much effort, she was impressed.

"She's better than I thought."

She wasn't surprised when Aoshi didn't respond. Aoshi hardly ever bothered to respond to anything she said. Mouth tightening in anger, she curled her fists. Once Aoshi had arrived, the bindings Himura had used to hold to the Dojo and to Tokyo had faded, giving her back her freedom.

"Misao."

Misao stopped walking, her back to him. "I don't like you right now. In fact, if I could somehow drag you into the dark real and feed you to one of the soul-eaters, I would. I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you and I refuse to allow you to hunt for me. We've had this talk, remember? _Why_ are we having it again?"

She felt him move closer, until the heat of him was pressing along her spine.

"You are mine."

Misao shook her head. "You rejected me."

Long fingers brushed against her hair and she scuttled forward, turning to face him.

"You think I will let you escape again?" His tone was mild, eyes cold.

"You think you can make me obey you? Follow you? Bind me to you?" She asked fiercely, power putting strength in her words. "I _won't_. You tried to _sell me_!"

"You cannot hide from your instincts forever."

"I won't have too." She said flatly before stepping into the shadow of the tree, and disappearing. Aoshi watched her go.

"You are mine, Misao."

X

He stood there, watching the wind twist small piles of leaves around in vague, slow circles. "I do not like failure. We have lost one of our best spies and I want to know why. _She_ wants to know why."

He didn't have to turn to know that the vampires behind him were groveling. There always seemed to be an endless cycle of men and woman lusting after his power, his gifts. He was strong enough to take on their enemy – Battousai – and he would. His plan was perfect.

"It was the girl. It had to be the girl. Battousai should not have been able to find him."

Enishi turned eyes hard. "Kamiya should not have had the power to hurt him. Not with _her_ giving Jineh the boost he needed to hide completely."

"I would never doubt the Lady's skills but it is true. Kamiya had to be linked to Battousai somehow." The round, sweaty face was strained. "We just haven't been able to discover how."

Enishi frowned. Kamiya was supposed to be human. There were only a few ways to be linked to a vampire and Enishi didn't see Battousai taking a human to his bed. He had changed the last human who had caught his attention. "I want her killed. Do it tonight."

"But Battousai's defenses…"

"Should be easily dealt with by your creatures – if she did somehow interfere with Jineh, then she needs to be dealt with. If she is human as you say she is, it will be easy. If she is not…" Surely Battousai didn't make himself a mate…

"I shall send the men tonight." He licked his lips. "Surely she will be weak after Jineh, easy to kill."

Enishi shrugged. "Perhaps. Report as soon as they return. I want to know what the inside of that dojo looks like."

He needed to know who Battousai had with him before he could strike. Narrowing his eyes, he watched the fat little man bow and exerted his gift. If Battousai managed to follow those creatures back, it was best to be sure he found nothing.

X

Kaoru muttered as she limped down the hall, her bruises from her training session still lingering even as her new healing abilities kicked into high gear. Battousai hadn't really tried to hurt her, but his tendency to slam her into walls left her back aching. Sano had shown up for a few minutes, something troubled in his eyes before he headed off to look into something for Battousai. She didn't know how she felt about him becoming messenger boy or whatever it was that he was doing, but she hoped he stayed out of trouble. At least that path had eased some of the more prominent muscles aches. Turning the corner she gasped as she bounced into something hard. Calloused fingers closed around her wrists, holding her against the hard, warm surface.

"Look what I caught." Kenshin's said softly in her ear, his teeth nipping at the rim. Kaoru froze, suddenly aware of the way he had released her wrists too settle a hand at her hip, the other playing with her carefully knotted obi.

"Battousai…" Kaoru whispered her eyes wide as she looked for someone to walk by. Kenshin's reply was to laugh into the sensitive skin behind her ear and yank her into a corner. In the very open hall.

"I thought I told you to call me Kenshin, Kaoru." His tone was chiding instead of sharp and she swallowed. "I might have to punish you." The way his tongue brushed the skin of her neck had her insides jumping.

"Let me go."

"You are not getting away this time." He murmured in her ear as her obi loosened and fell from her hips, the kimono she had changed into falling open. "I promised to teach you a lesson. Besides, I owe you for that little stunt in the dojo."

Kaoru trembled at the amused tone in his voice. She could feel his ki around them and she swallowed as it seemed to mute the outside world. Kaoru was aware of the laughter coming from the front porch, the sounds of Misao and Yahiko bickering, but it was muted. Swallowing, she tried to swat at his fingers as they glided down her hip, encouraging the fabric to part before he started tugging on her breast bindings.

"What are you doing? Kaoru protested. She didn't think this lesson of his could lead to anything good.

"They won't see us." Kenshin promised as he raked his teeth along her jaw. Kaoru tried to ignore the way her insides leapt at his touch, the slow shift of sparks under her skin.

"But…" Kaoru tried just before his fingers came up and cupped her full, bare breasts in his hands. Kaoru stifled her moan and placed her hands flat on his chest in an attempt to push him away, but only succeeded in grasping his shoulders for support as he ran his thumb over her sensitive nipples.

"You might as well give in to me." Kenshin purred as his head rose again, sucking lightly on her ear. "Your body wants to."

Kaoru could only moan as he shifted, pressing his chest against hers, bracing her against the wall as his hands continued to wander and her knees weakened. She attempted to find the breath to argue but his hands were everywhere. Kenshin caught her mouth with his as Yahiko ran by, oblivious to the man and woman carefully hidden in the long shadows of the dojo. Kaoru struggled to hold in a whimper as his hands ran along her spin before digging in her backside and trailing down her thighs before his tongue stroked a path along her throat, were he found the pulse point he had been looking for.

Lips pressed against her throat, he smiled when her pulse jumped as she cried out, nails digging into his arms when he finally pressed his fingers against the warmth between her legs. Hooking the back of one hand under her thigh; he held her open as he explored – soft touches and lingering strokes that left her trembling.

Kaoru's body felt over heated as each stroke of his hand set off small streaks of lightning in her blood. Her gift was crawling inside her like something living and she was struggling for _something_. A long, slow brush of his tongue and then those fingers slipped to the back of her thigh as he lifted her off her feet completely, settling between her legs so that she could _feel_ him. Eyes wide, feeling dazed and over sensitive, she bit her lip as she shivered. She felt… _wanting_, as if he had been pushing her body towards something and then just… stopped.

"I told you your body would yearn for mine." Kenshin informed her, his eyes glinting. He continued to hold her, fingers wrapping around strands of her hair. Kaoru couldn't seem to look away and her knees and legs felt weak. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips along her chin and the promise in his eyes made her heart pound.

"When we finish this, you will be under me and calling my name. Only then will I give you what your body wants."

Then he was setting her down, helping her tuck her kimono back into place as her fingers trembled. His hands were quick, deliberately efficient as he avoided touching her in any way that would ease the aching warmth or the heaviness in her breasts. Once her obi was tied he watched her for another moment, amusement heavy in his eyes before he turned and left her there.

Kaoru shook slightly as she worked to calm her body. Shutting her eyes, she swallowed. He was right. He could make her body want him. Damn her if she ever admitted to it. But she knew that every glance, every touch from him was going to be a deliberate reminder of this… of what he had done, and what he hadn't. Kaoru covered her mouth and told herself not to cry.

Double checking to make sure she was covered, she headed back into her room. She couldn't face anyone like this. Not when she knew her gift was wildly churning and she could still feel the heat of him all over her body. After she changed into a clean yukata she slipped beneath her covers and shivered. The memory of his fingers brushing against her so intimately, the press of his mouth against her throat, the wicked glints of gold in his eyes…

Shutting her eyes tightly she forced herself to find her calming center before her body would relax. She lay there for long moments, her mind refusing to calm down even when her body was content to remain motionless. The soft sounds of Misao's voice as she padded to the door, softly knocking, went unanswered. Eventually the ache in her body lessened into a feeling of discontent. Growling in frustration she tossed and turned before moving to her shoji and pushing it open to stare at the clear sight of the stars above.

She remembered sitting in this same spot, watching the shooting stars with her father. What would he think of her now? A vampire who needed someone else to live? Perhaps he wouldn't be so condemning, since her mother _had_ to have been one as well. Kaoru tilted her head when she caught the sight of shadows shifting in the courtyard. There it was again… perhaps Misao was practicing her shadow maneuvers.

Feeling something brush against her _ki_ she jumped to the left just as shiny, bright pieces of silver slammed into the wood. Kaoru scrambled backwards, her gift flaring to life under her skin with her panic just as the naked blade swung at her head a second time. This time she had to roll away from that near-invisible attacker and lunged to her feet to run. The sounds of someone moving down the hall bounded in her ears as she ducked another swing of the open blade – this time not quite fast enough; the blade bit into her shoulder and she cursed loudly. Her gift flared outwards in a wild arc and the world spun for a moment in a wild, turbulent rush as sparks flared around her. Misao burst into the room and tossed a fistful of small, sharp daggers towards the brightest of those sparks.

"Shadow dwellers!" She warned before her small body melted into the floor and appearing behind whatever was moving back towards the sword it had dropped.

Like hell…

Kaoru dove, her fingers locking around the sword hilt and bringing it close to her body as she rolled away, keeping the sharp edges away from her flesh. It burned in her palm, but her gift pulsed through her hand and quieted the sword's reaction. For a moment, she wondered if it was alive. Feeling the sword pulse, she spun to meet the steel coming at her head with the blade in her hand. To her surprise, it felt like the sword was reacting to the man's movements before she could formulate her own responses. Somehow, it sensed the shadows attempting to strike at her.

Then the door was torn off its edges and Battousai was there.

Misao was suddenly pulling her out of the way. Battousai's _ki_ was a malestorm of furious black shadow that twisted around and around. Thick, black strands of it clung to his sword and moved like ropes around his body. His eyes were the color of blazing suns and he moved so fast that Kaoru could only watch where he _had_ been.

"He uses his gift to suck them out of the Shadow plane, where the physical forms operate, and then he kills them." Misao informed her as they watched.

"How?"

"They're attracted to death and destruction, and Himura bathes in it. They can't stay in their plane when someone like him is around. He could rule them, take over, but in return they would feed from him constantly." Misao replied.

Kaoru shivered and was relieved when her gift suddenly settled back into her skin, leaving her feeling weak. Looking up she watched her now normal-looking… mate… stand over a man who was even paler than Battousai. Kaoru dropped the sword she was holding and watched it disappear back into the shadows.

Battousai was saying something, leaning over with his entire body broadcasting his fury. Kaoru brought her hand to her aching shoulder, which was already knitting and she scowled at the mess her room was. Her right wall was shattered and her Shoji had been torn almost in half when Battousai had entered. Splinters were everywhere and her bare feet were in danger if she moved again.

Blood littered the floor in thick, greasy black puddles.

"Those in the kitchen were a distraction," Shinomori said as he entered, his eyes scanning the room. "They were after the girl."

"Her name," Misao said softly, "is _Kaoru_."

Battousai looked up from where he was wiping his sword clean, his tongue snaking out against the thickly coated blade. Kaoru felt slightly ill at that, since the blood was…so…

"His body can pull the remaining human blood cells out of what was mutated." Misao murmured low enough so that Karou's hearing could barely pick it up. "I really don't think it's healthy for other vampires, but I don't think anything can really kill him."

Her arm no longer hurt, so Kaoru pulled her hand back and stared at the sealed wound. Her hand was sticky with blood and she needed to clean her arm. Sighing, she looked around and frowned when Battousai walked over and caught her wrist. Instead of bringing her bloodied hand to his mouth like last time, he simply handed her a soft cloth before looking at her bare feet and leaving.

"He can't…lick you until he cleans all the toxins from his blood," Misao guessed. "He needs them in his body to track where they came from."

Kaoru, in the process of cleaning the blood from her skin, rolled her eyes. "I am…_ah_!"

Her feet were swung out from under her and she was staring at a familiar throat as Battousai carried her out of the room and into another, with a futon and fresh quilt laid out.

"Go to sleep." Kenshin said firmly at her temple and then disappeared.

Kaoru was left staring at where he had been, uncertain at what she thought she had felt from him for just a moment. Shivering slightly, she curled into the futon and covered herself with the blanket. Now that the fight was over, she was trembling. Curling in on herself a little, she pressed her hands together and willed them to still – why had he carried her in here? Was he just trying to avoid healing her for the second time if she stepped on wood? Before she really had any time to sit down and think about what had occurred, a swearing Misao was pushed firmly into the room by a grim faced Shinomori. Misao spun on her heel, stared at the walls and for a moment, Kaoru thought she would just go through the thin, rice-paper walls.

"They warded the room!" Misao growled, dropping into a cross-legged position. Kaoru could see the faint outline of her _ki_ arching around her and Kaoru sighed. "I'm _older_ than that overly-tall friend of yours, and they ward _me_ into a room!"

Kaoru sat up a little, curling her blanket around her shoulders. "Misao?"

Small hands were curled into white knuckled fists. Kaoru sympathized. She knew what it felt like to be left behind or worse, forced to confirm to what someone else wanted you to be. But even grumpy, she was relieved that Misao was with her.

Finally, the small vampire blew out a long breath and turned to face her. "Sorry. He just manages to infuriate me on _so many_ levels."

"What happened in there?"

Misao frowned for a moment, head tilting to the side like a small bird. She pressed her lips together for a long moment, before walking over and sitting next to her. "Are you okay?"

Kaoru nodded, her nerves starting to settle. "Yes."

"The attack seems to be a message to Himura that they know he is here and that they aren't afraid of him. When Kyoto broke after the Bakumatsu, a lot of the younger vampires that couldn't hold their territory fled to Edo." Misao tapped her fingers on her thigh for a moment. "I suppose it makes some kind of suicidal sense. But I don't understand how they know about you… other than our shopping trip; you haven't been out and about in the markets. One visit shouldn't have given them the time to figure out what the exact nature your connection to Himura is."

"But what does that have to do with the attack?"

Misao tilted her head. "Himura has claimed you as his mate. If they kill you, they might cripple him. It's was risky, because they failed and know he knows someone thinks he is weak enough to attack. I just don't understand how they knew."

Kaoru looked at her hands. "Are mates so important?"

"Yes."

Misao's simple response gave her something to think about. There was a conviction there mingled with a little bit of hurt. Taking a deep breath, she finally managed to work her hands lose of the blanket. "What do you know about why… Kenshin is here."

"Not much. Soujirou was pretty closed lipped about the whole thing while he was dragging me this direction and your two friends have really refused to talk."

Kaoru grimaced. "I was kidnapped by a vampire named Jineh."

Misao's eyes widened. "I thought he was dead."

"What?"

She shook her head. "I'll explain later. So someone used Jineh to kidnap you?"

Kaoru wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't know. I haven't… managed to ask what the reasons were. He seemed very focused on Kenshin in the little time we talked." She took a deep breath. "You don't think these two events are connected?"

"I don't know." Misao looked perplexed. "I cannot imagine someone stupid enough to challenge Himura twice but… I wish I could look into this myself. But they've done their best to hamstring me."

Kaoru considered telling her that she hadn't been a full vampire at the time or that Kenshin only mated with her because he wanted to use her gift, but she held her tongue. Misao obviously believed that mates were something important and she was too tired to dig deeply into that right now. Or why she couldn't shake off the way Kenshin had carried her over the shattered wood pieces to protect her feet.

Flopping back down, Kaoru re-arranged the blanket. "I'm going to try to get some sleep. You should too."

"Aren't I the elder here?" Misao muttered as she went and crawled under the blanket with Kaoru. Once Aoshi got back, she was going to hurt him. Kaoru had finally gained some of her color back and there was weariness behind her eyes that would have compelled her to stay behind even if Aoshi hadn't locked her into the dojo again. The fact that Soujiro was keeping watch in the courtyard was even more annoying – as if she wasn't capable of protecting Kaoru!

X

Enishi frowned as he listened to the report. So, Battousai had killed his shadow warriors and protected Kamiya. Knowing Battousai, he probably had ingested some of the Shadow blood and was going to be tracking them down to find out who had sent them.

Battousai would be hunting ghosts. Perhaps it was time to change the plans. It was clear that Kamiya was important. Just the leverage he needed. If you wanted something done right, you did it yourself.

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	8. Chapter Eight

Re-Posted 11-6-10

**Lime Warning. Violence Warning. Suggested Adult Themes.**

* * *

Kaoru woke uneasy. It felt like the rasp of a tongue on a raw cut and she shivered. There was a thickness to the air – a backwash of the battle and killing and something inside her was probing at it, wrapping around to taste. Sitting up, she rubbed her shoulder were the cut had been and grimaced. There was nothing to even show that the cut had been there. Sighing, she glanced down at her hands.

They looked the same. Except tonight she had gripped a sword and used it with the intent to kill. They were stronger than they had ever been. She knew her skin was soft, but her body felt… different. Sturdier, somehow and for the first time she felt like she had become something different. She hadn't really examined her new self, partly for fear of what it would be like when she looked. Everything had been affected by Battousai's blood.

She rubbed her face. She was starting to doubt her sanity. Because her brain just wanted to think about the way he had looked tonight. The way the darkness clung to him. How unbelievably perfect he was with a sword in his hand. How much she liked watching him.

The way he had picked her up and carried her out of her room.

Here, alone, she could admit to herself that she was fighting attraction. Her gift was something wild and whatever he was he called to it. Even now she could sense the darkness that permeated the air. The whispering flood of need that craved him; it was becoming hard to keep it shoved down. She wished she understood this connection, the way something inside her both relaxed and leaned toward him at his appearance.

Misao stirred next to her and Kaoru looked at her friend. There were old scars in her ki, twisted markings that had her automatically running 'hands' over them to test the depth. Realizing what she was doing, Kaoru paused. She hadn't consciously called on her gift that time. Did something like this just become instinctive? There had to be a way to protect herself from it. While some of it felt… amazing, some of it revolted her. Kaoru rubbed her eyes. How did you deal with something like this?

Sitting up, she noted the room Kenshin had brought her to. Sighing, because she really wanted something to drink, she headed for the door. Shifting forward she brushed her fingers down the rice paper and felt the slight surge of power. It didn't burn per-se, but it flickered a warning. Kaoru took a deep breath and reached for the part of her that was practically crawling under her skin. Thick cords of black and red were twisted around the screen, and when her fingers brushed close, it was the black that twisted towards her skin.

The red acted almost indifferently, so she reached for it and yanked. She thought she felt something, surprise or annoyance; perhaps both, and then the lines were gone. Kaoru frowned. That was entirely too easy. If the swearing from Misao earlier had said anything, then that should have taken a whole lot more work than it did.

Something was wrong.

Searching herself, she hardly felt any drain. Cautiously, she opened the door and looked around. The halls were still empty. She listened for the sounds of Soujiro and frowned when she couldn't hear anything.

Moving down the hall, she walked silently over the wooden boards, her tabi protecting her bare feet. She moved carefully, having long since memorized any creaking boards. Reaching the kitchen, she stilled when she saw Soujiro outside. Kaoru paused; eyes straining to see through the darkness. She didn't know Soujiro had any friends in this area. She couldn't quite clearly see the man's features or his coloring, but there was something _odd_ about him. Then there was Soujiro – he stood like a limp doll, propped up by an outside force. She had the sudden urge to stay away from him. Moving just as carefully but with a step of urgency, she had just closed the shoji when she heard a board creak.

Kaoru turned with a wary expression; however, the room was still except for Misao. But the hairs on the back of her neck were standing in definite warning and she allowed the sheen of power to flicker through her. The hall became almost pitch in color, since there was no ki to lighten the gloom and she frowned as she searched for whatever had left. Sighing when she couldn't find anything, she slipped back inside her room and shut the door. Perhaps it was just the house settling…

Kaoru was pulling he blanket around her when she heard something like a hiss and this time she kicked Misao as she looked around. Misao mumbled something under her breath, and rolled over, her expression smoothing out in sleep again. What a great ninja she was. There was another noise and her breath hitched in her throat. The same feeling of unease raced through her senses and she stiffened. What looked like some sort of shadow moved across the floor, headed straight for the futon. But instead of attacking there was a snarl and it was gone.

Kaoru felt her chest heave in short little pants as she felt the air clear of the danger. Something had been in the room. Something dangerous. For a moment, she wished Battousai was there and she frowned at herself. Something inside shimmered with resentment towards him.

She had almost managed settle back down when the shoji door slammed open, bouncing back again at the force. Kaoru jumped, wondering how she had missed his re-entrance into her home, and felt a surge of alarm. Misao sat up with an incoherent yelp and glared at the door. The smaller woman swore like a sailor and Kaoru wondered if she had managed to get herself onto a boat to avoid Shinomori. Her thoughts had little time to arrange themselves as Kenshin glided into the room, his expression darkened by the shadows.

"Megumi has an extra futon in her room." Kenshin ordered Misao. "Go."

Misao's eyes widened in outrage but Himura flashed several inches of fang and glared. Misao snapped her own teeth and left. Her dislike of Megumi was personal, regardless of what she had heard the other two vampires hissing and she was not looking forward to trying to rest in the same room with her.

"You broke the ward," Kenshin softly. Kaoru went to stand to meet him on equal footing when he was suddenly inches from her and snarling. Kaoru felt something snake in her blood at the expression on his face and she glared back.

"You shouldn't have caged me like a child." Kaoru started, but her words were cut off as his nose pressed behind her ear, his breath hot on her skin. Her hands automatically went to his forearms to steady herself as he breathed and she frowned.

Anger. Anticipation. The slightest touch of fear. Kenshin let his eyes droop at the smell of her skin and emotions. Something had startled her and her scent proved that it hadn't been _him_. Her fear smelled sweet, almost as good as her temper. Unable to help himself, he let his tongue snake out and taste the slight salt of perspiration; he caught the faintest trace of her blood on her skin from earlier. Pressing closer, he nipped lightly before stroking his tongue along her shoulder, letting the taste of her sooth away the remains the black-blood from his hunt.

Kaoru gasped in surprise at the feel of his tongue, and then in the next instant she was pressed flush against him and as he bit down. Her body melted against him before she could rebuke it, and something like a moan escaped her throat without her permission. This… feeding was almost comforting, for reasons she couldn't explain. Every muscle in her body relaxed at being so close to him. Sighing, her eyes began to feel heavy, and the stroke of his tongue lulled her into half consciousness as he pulled back. There was a rumble of sound from his chest and she mentally berated herself as her body snuggled forward so her nose was against his collarbones once he raised his head. She thought she caught a flash of bemusement from him, as she fell asleep.

Kenshin stared down at the now sleeping woman in his arms and couldn't decide between bemusement or anger. She was curled against him like a cat, her warm breath flickering over his skin. He could still remember the warmth of her on his fingers and his frown darkened, even as he curled her braid around his knuckles. He caught another nuance of her scent and sighed. She would need to feed in the morning. Carefully, he managed to untangle her from his body and he frowned at the urge to curl around her and to rest himself. His instincts were getting demanding were she was concerned and they hadn't even completed the bond. Shaking off the need to feel her, he leaned against the wall to keep watch.

She was becoming a distraction. Every time her little body came in contact with his and her _ki_ attempted to work between the cracks of his own, he felt the urge to finish the bond. To invite let her have his neck. His mouth twisted into a frown. It was one thing for _her_ to need him; but he could find no reason for him to need her. She wasn't supposed to crawl under his skin. It was one thing to use her, to know that even if he didn't want her, no one else could have her. It was completely different for him to want her as well. To want that boneless comfort near him for more than feeding; so he wanted her. Fine. He had her.

He should have been able to curb those instincts. He knew that she still thought like a human, still _needed_ like a human. Still he couldn't deny the fact that his body stirred with a need to do more than just to take. He was a man of some patience. It was only a matter of time until she came to him. Then he would see where it led him. His little pet was his to have now. Beyond her control, beyond her reasoning, her instincts craved what only he could give her.

A smile curving his lips, he let the feel of her _ki_ lull him into a light sleep.

X

She writhed against the chains, her naked body crashing again and again against the clamps that held her, her underfed body near the beginning stages of turning in on itself. The smell of stagnate blood added to the putrid aroma around her body. The irises of her eyes were white with age and the walls were littered with the markings of her nails gouging the walls, the same marks her own body bore.

"She is lasting much longer than we thought she would. It would seem that the heart of that young man was the key. Tell me, where did you find him again?"

"He was a sword master's son. I had hoped that the heart of a man with _ki_ worthy of our kind would revive her." The second shadow was bent over, as if afraid for his life. They watched as the woman writhed and stretched and bled. The blood slid in droplets down her body to the drain, which ran into a bowl. From there, it would go through a purification process and then be ready for ingestion.

"She may live long enough for us to find what she hid from us." He replied as he walked over, softly tracing the blind woman's face, watching as she jerked around helplessly, her teeth snapping as broken fangs ground against her teeth. "What her family will be more than happy to track down for us."

Both men left the creature to her own devices, shutting the heavy doors to muffle her screams. "Tell me, how fairs the child?"

Both men straightened in the darkness and walked at a more even pace now that they were not bombarded by an insane woman's screams; the feel of her _ki_ fighting against her gift. The blood of her family had been ingrained into his veins for years and Empaths could not kill one of their own. Supposedly, a genetic fault.

That was more myth than truth. He had learned, through all of his experimentation, that the truth was an Empath would not survive that first absorption of death-_ki_ so close to their own. If they managed to survive that first kill, to find a way to contain the reaction of their gift from absorbing the death-_ki_ and destroying itself; they could kill without reprisal. But that first kill was lightly to overwhelm a young Empath, breaking down the barrier between gift and _ki_ and destroying them.

"Our newest is responding well to the treatment. Her skills are improving and in another month we will be able to move her to the cutting chamber. They're predicting that she will last longer than our current experiment, but she isn't as strong. However… we have received information from our spies."

This peaked his interest. Ever since _her_ escape, he had wondered if she had managed to produce offspring. Not even week ago he had felt the burning of another Empath waking in his power and he had known she had. But then the spark, the connection had disappeared.

"Is that so? Tell me about her… this escaped rabbit of mine."

The man's eyes lit up. "She is strong. Stronger than anyone currently in our possession and _young_! Her father was human, but she was completely converted only a short time ago.

Delighted at the idea of having such a fresh Empath for his experiments, he smiled. "How soon until she is here?"

He had to plan this perfectly. If she was that strong, once she was broken, she would be the perfect weapon. The weapon he had been looking for so long. Finally, he could see an end to his exile in sight.

"She has a mate."

He raised a brow. "With the amount of power I lend you fools, it shouldn't be a problem. You have the stolen life of an Empath racing in your veins. What _more_ do you _need_?"

"She is Battousai's mate." He tried again.

_That_ stopped him cold. Hitokiri Battousai… student to Seijuro Hiko. "He will be arrogant and lax. When that happens, bring her here. His is foolish enough not to understand what she is and we can break the bond between them. Do I make myself clear?"

His lips pursed. It might take a while, but he would teach _her_ daughter why his slaves didn't escape him. The daughter would pay for her mother's crimes and then… then he would break his enemies.

X

"She is surprisingly adept with that sword." Megumi commented as she sat down besides Misao, who weighed the options of ignoring her or lunging for the jugular, and instead watched where Kaoru was correcting Yahiko's movements. Yahiko still held the bokken, but Battousai had been out early and calmly snapped Kaoru's shinai, and handed her the sword with a look that held a world of meaning.

Misao wondered if it meant he was starting to care for Kaoru or if it was just self-preservation on his part. She knew that the pair would, supposedly, share each major wound in hopes that both would live. If Kaoru infected herself with wood poisoning again, then Himura would be forced to shoulder half the pain.

"She has spent most of her life with them. By the time she fully matures, she will be quite good."

"You find that surprising?" Megumi asked a bite in her voice that Misao ignored in favor of imagining the fox with several kunai buried in her throat. The mental image cheered her greatly and she offered a full fanged smile to the older woman.

"You managed to control your gift." Misao quietly pointed out. "I am sure she will be fine."

She watched in satisfaction as the woman paled slightly, her face darkening soon after. Misao watched as Himura moved and adjusted Kaoru's hold on the hilt and her placement of her feet, his face expressionless. It wasn't a stance she recognized, but she watched as Yahiko watched and mimicked. He too would be good with a sword.

"He works to increase her speed." Misao absently commented, frowning when she recognized the _ki_ at her back.

"Very good," Aoshi's said quietly near her and she ignored the heat that rolled through her. It was almost a purely domestic scene that had something rotten rolling onto the back of Misao's tongue. She forcefully stopped herself from looking at him. Instead, she glanced around, anywhere but him, and grinned when she noticed Sanosuke sprawled out under a tree with that ridiculous fishbone between his teeth. She tilted her head to the side and blinked. If she wasn't mistaken, he was keeping a very careful watch on Megumi. That would bear some watching. Letting that go, she turned her attention back to the entertainment in the dojo.

She wondered what Kaoru was like before she was Himura's mate. Watching Kaoru beat Yahiko to death with a sword was fun, but only if Himura would stop correcting or altering her form. From here, she could catch the look of disapproval on Kaoru's face and she smirked. Himura wouldn't be able to knock her around much longer, she was getting more assured of herself and there were times when Misao had seen the dark part of Kaoru's nature peeking at her from behind her eyes. One of these days the barrier Kaoru wasn't aware she was holding up was going to crack and then she would learn to trust her instincts.

Kaoru mentally scowled as she was corrected yet again in her stance and reminded herself that learning was something you never stopped doing. He was better than she was. But while that gave him some right to instruct her it didn't mean she had to like it! When he stepped back she took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, demanded the moves she wanted from Yahiko and began again.

There was something that was bothering her today. She hadn't seen Soujiro since last night and while part of her demanded that she tell Batt-Kenshin about her fears, another part of her suggested that she wait. Kaoru sighed and quietly debated as she went through another set of drills, mentally implementing the changes that Kenshin had been giving her all morning. It took some work, because her muscle memory kept attempting to alter back, but repetition was something she was good at.

This was probably the reason her brain kept going over and over what had happened the night before; which unfortunately wasn't allowing her the peace of mind of only going over Soujiro. Instead, it also went over the relaxing contentedness of being used as Kenshin's snack in the bedroom. It also wanted to point out that that she should be furious with herself; but she was tired and couldn't find the energy. Strong fingers wrapped around her wrist between sets and she looked upwards to find a sight she was slowly growing used to.

"You're distracted." Kenshin informed her quietly, disapproval radiating from his body. Kaoru frowned up at him, a spurt of anger she couldn't control echoing through her. Something flickered in his eyes and then he stepped back. "You need to feed." His voice held that same tone of disapproval but there was something far less manageable here as well.

Kaoru frowned at him, but her eyes flickered to where Soujiro was walking through the gate and a bite of apprehension ate at her stomach lining. There was something odd about the way he was moving again. Kaoru walked over to Yahiko, who was standing a few feet away, her eyes never quite leaving where her mate was standing. She kept getting distracted by the pulse that was beating steadily in her eardrums. There was a snarl from Kenshin as he turned to speak to Soujiro and Kaoru felt it before she saw it.

Wrongness. Something was terribly wrong, and she turned to pull Yahiko away from the entrance to the dojo when she saw it. The same whispering darkness she had heard last night, coming at her hard. Kaoru jerked the same time she heard someone scream and then she saw him. White hair and eyes dipped in a color somewhere between emerald and blue. But it was the feel of him that bothered her the most. Whoever this man was, he wasn't sane.

Kaoru attempted to move backwards, to break out of the darkening colors, but they seemed determined to pull her in. Mentally screaming, she found herself shoved forward by the will-power of her own feet; feet she couldn't control. Kaoru couldn't struggle against him as he calmly picked her up and walked away. The ability to think past the twisting echo of foreign power was beyond her no matter how hard she pushed. The welcome familiarity of Kenshin's _ki_ was missing here and it ate at her control. Just as her gift started to gain traction, surging to the surface and fighting; her world went black.

X

Yahiko wasn't quite sure what had happened, but one moment Kaoru was moving towards him with an expression of fear-tinged panic, and the next Soujiro had his sword out and was attacking Battousai. He had been frozen in his spot, something whispering that he couldn't move, couldn't fight and he was forced to watch as Battousai and Soujiro blurred as their swords connected and reconnected in a dance he was suddenly aware he would _never_ be able to mimic. He faintly heard Misao's high pitched wails and he became aware of something _other_ than the motions of the swords.

Pulling some sense back into his body, he watched as Misao dispatched a shadow with an expression on her face that wasn't anything like the vampire he had teased for days now. Her face was white except for the two high spots of color, and she was swearing in languages he didn't know existed before that moment. Sano was guarding Megumi and Shinomori was dealing with the shadows that were attempting to aid Soujiro.

Something was wrong.

Struggling to find his own will-power, he turned in time to see Kaoru disappear into… somewhere; the man holding her smiling at him before they were gone. Yahiko found his feet, and moved to join the fray. As soon as his hands landed on a weapon, they noticed him. Yahiko was hard pressed to stay alive, but managed to dispatch several of the…things attacking him when he noticed Battousai was grinding his sword into Soujiro's chest and he stilled at the expression on Battousai's face. It was the same uncontrolled fury that had lined his features when Kaoru had been taken by Jineh.

"Stop!" Misao's voice rang out as she bounded over, attempting to get Battousai's attention. "Himura!" She crashed right into Shinomori, who was there so fast that Yahiko didn't remember seeing him move.

"Misao," Shinomori sharply interrupted, but she struggled against him.

"It wasn't Soujiro. That was Enishi. Don't you understand?" Misao cried out, frustration filling her voice and face. "_That wasn't Soujiro_!"

Yahiko was moving forward to join her. He watched as Battousai shoved the sword up to the hilt, watching as Soujiro coughed and gagged on his own blood, the sword spearing into the right side of his chest, directly through a lung and chest cavity. Battousai didn't look as if it bothered him, the boy who he had raised as his apprentice speared on the end of his katana.

"Enishi?" Battousai asked quietly, pulling his sword a little to the left to start inching it toward Soujiro's heart. "Who do you speak of?"

Misao stopped her fruitless struggling and glared. "Yukishiro Enishi. He is the last remaining members of that particular line. You should be aware of them; they were one of your Master's main competitions in the beginning. You cut your teeth on their blood, Himura," her tone was controlled now as she watched Battousai calmly shove his sword another inch. "Do you not remember?"

Soujiro garbled something, but it was lost in the blood flowing from his lips.

Battousai raised eyes burning with flecks of white-hot rage. "Enlighten me."

Misao swallowed hard. "Yukishiro is the last remaining son of that bloodline. I think he had a sister at some point, but she died. As far as I know Enishi was thought to be completely insane. Until around a decade ago, they didn't think he had a gift at all." Her tone was monotone, someone reciting facts. "However, it came out that he had been hiding it. He is a mind-Empath. He does what Kaoru does with _ki_, except on the mental wave-path. Apparently his father did all sorts of black magic when his wife was pregnant to make him one, and it's why he went insane at the death of his sister, Tomoe."

Battousai frowned slightly then. Yahiko thought he saw a flicker of recognition flutter across his face, but then it was gone.

"So he wants revenge."He yanked his sword out of Soujiro in one swift move and watched as the boy dropped like a sack of bricks. "He thinks that by kidnapping Kaoru he can get it, then. Unfortunately for him, her gift cannot be used against me."

Aoshi frowned slightly. "I remember when Hiko had you purge the Yukishiro line. It was because of that boy… I wasn't aware he had escaped." There was nothing in Aoshi's tone that could ignite Battousai's temper, but the man's expression darkened.

"He wouldn't have, except for Tomoe's gift." Battousai turned to Misao and frowned. "You and Megumi patch Soujiro up. I will deal with him properly when we get to Kyoto. Once he is able to walk, take Yahiko and head to my estate there. Aoshi, Sano and I will go after Kaoru. They will meet you in Kyoto once I find her. There are a few more things we will finish up here before Kaoru and I join you."

Misao opened her mouth to argue, her small eyes flashing again, but Shinomori moved between Battousai and her. Yahiko couldn't understand what he said, but the girl stiffened and showed off several inches of fang in a fit of temper, but disappeared into the house as ordered. Yahiko wanted to argue to, but he had seen how easy it was for Enishi to take over his mind, and he was smart enough to understand that he would be a liability if he went.

"Bring her back." He whispered to Sano, before taking off into the house to help Misao tear bandages. Megumi was already attempting to fix the hole in Soujiro's chest, and she would need all the help she could get. If he could just get the blank, empty look in Kaoru's eyes out of his mind, because he had never seen her like that.

Yahiko watched as Misao tore through sheets of clean cloth, her expression hard. He thought he caught the bright sparkle of salt-water, but she must have managed to keep from crying, because he couldn't even smell it.

"What did he mean Kyoto?" Yahiko asked wearily. Kyoto was very, very dangerous. Most of the old blood had moved there during the Bakumatsu to feed on the blood and destruction, and it was in those streets Battousai had been born.

"That's where the majority of the population lives." Misao absently answered her expression distant. "It's also where the main branch of the Oniwabanshu is. You will probably be staying with us. You don't want to be around a pair of mates attempting to figure out dominance issues any longer, anyway."

Yahiko wisely decided not to mention her and Shinomori, and followed her back outside where Megumi was working to save Soujiro's life.

X

When Kaoru awoke, she wasn't in control of her own body. She was aware that she was standing up but had no idea why. Her brain was bogged down with a thick velvet wrap that refused to allow her to think. Forcing her eyes open, she looked around. She was standing against a wall in what looked to be a rented room in some western-style dwelling. Her eyes landed on the futon, which went against the small desk and chair, and she rapidly attempted to assimilate the thoughts in her mind.

"Looks like she is awake, boss; are you sure this is Battousai's mate? She doesn't look very dangerous to me." The voice was high and slightly scratchy, and Kaoru strained to turn her head but couldn't do more than blink.

"It's her." A voice she recognized replied calmly. The white-haired man walked into her line of sight and gave her a long, considering look. His almost feminine mouth was pursed thoughtfully, and there was the slightest tilting to his lips that gave a cruel cast to his face. "Hard to believe something so small could cause so much damage to Jineh. Supposedly she took him apart."

Kaoru swallowed and reached for her gift but he shook his head. "I can't let you do that."

His tone was almost playful, but there was a sick note of feralness there that made her redouble her efforts. Sweat broke out on temples as she struggled. His eyes widened in surprise when she managed to almost catch hold and he sighed. "I suppose I'll have to hold you after all."

Then his hands were grasped on either side of her face, holding her still while his pupils dilated and he pulled her back into his mind. The heat of it twisted through hers again. Kaoru's lips parted in a silent scream and she fought against him.

"He will come for you." Enishi whispered as he easily held her against him, his eyes darkening in color as he exerted his will against hers. "He will come for you and I will use you to kill him."

Kaoru struggled harder against the heat that threatened to seep into her blood; then she felt it. Hot, wild, churning fire burst from somewhere dark inside her and erupted through her veins as loudly as it could. It ate at the marrow of her bones and sucked at her muscles and churned in the pit of her stomach with _need_. The vampire holding her dropped her so fast she fell backwards, her body hitting the wall with a thud as her knees gave out, leaving her to slide down the smooth contours. She watched him stumble, horror and something else crawling into his face.

"You _bitch_." He growled, moving forward, but stopping. She watched as his nostrils flared as he got a good long pull of her scent. Then he cursed and dragged his companion out of the room, leaving her there.

X

Enishi threw the jar of sake he held in his hand into the wall, his eyes flaring brightly. Damn that girl. Damn _Battousai_ for doing a half-assed job mating his little empath. _An empath_, a true one. Not like his own gift. His fangs bared he clenched his fists tightly together, his body straining in an attempt to stay still. Kamiya was easy enough to control, her half tamed gift ready to run wild with the single touch of threat. It was easy enough to slip through her pathetic shields and take her mind as his and twist her thoughts the way he wished them.

His was the perfect revenge. Take the one woman who could and would slip past Battousai's defenses and use her gift to turn his own abilities against him. Killed by his own death. Then the girl, tainted by Battousai, would live a life twisted with guilt and insanity; eventually killing herself as she drove herself mad. Everyone who knew Battousai would have to sit down and watch as she died, her gift inverting on her, ripping her _ki_ to pieces.

He had, perhaps, been a touch too sure of himself. Careless. In his few moments of exquisite pleasure –ripping and plundering her soft mind – he had triggered her mating cycle. Reaching up, he rubbed his head. A female vampire only went into a cycle once a year. It was only after she had been bound that her gift would trigger the hormonal reaction that allowed a female a chance at reproduction. Child-bearing was extremely difficult for female vampires; the more powerful the women, the harder to bear child to full term. It was speculated that on the occasion a hormonal imbalance triggered a cycle without a mate, she would go into heat with animalistic tendencies so that she could rut with the strongest male around.

On the rare occasion that a female went into heat without her mate around to satisfy her cravings, she would use her _ki_ to lure every male into vicinity into her bed for relief. Her blood was relentless in its demands. A woman in a mating heat was also extremely dangerous. Even as her _ki_ called every male to her, the female herself would only bend to the one who had bound her to him. She would fight and kill whoever attempted to touch her – no matter how her body craved relief – and would fight until someone managed to subdue her.

As far as he had been able to tell in those few moment inside her mind, Battousai had not completed the bond. But the half bond they shared had been enough to start the trigger to allow the cycle, but did not allow the hold on Kamiya to keep her from going deranged.

"Sloppy, Battousai," Enishi whispered, even as he caught the smell of Kamiya's call, his body tightening with demand. "_Very_ _sloppy_."

This complicated things.

X

Kenshin watched as Sano talked to a contact, his body tense even as he gave the appearance of nonchalance against the wall. His hair hid the way his jaw was tightened with temper and his fingers were white-knuckled against the hilt of sword. The only emotional sign of how furious the man was happened to be his _ki_. But that was only because he had it under such rigid control, that it was difficult to sense.

"That's your fifth contact tonight." Kenshin softly said as Sano walked over. There was a strong undercurrent of impatience in his voice, and the way his had tightened on his sword was a clear warning. Aoshi was actually mildly impressed that he could tighten his grip at all.

"Yukishiro has been careful." Sano defended. "It's taken time but we might have a lead – there have been some unexplained deaths in town that the local vampire aren't taking credit for, including a couple of mid to low political figures. In particular, there is one whose family hasn't been scene for a few days. It's worth a look into."

Aoshi gave the younger man a cool glance. He hoped for his sake that it panned out. Battousai was getting edgier with each second his half-claimed mate was away. He allowed his fangs to glint briefly at that. If Battousai had mated Kamiya properly, then they would have already tracked her. For all his mistakes with Misao, that one did not lay at his feet.

Idiot.

Sighing, he followed both men back into the darkening streets of Tokyo. It was going to be night soon. If they did not find the girl before day-break, Aoshi wondered if they would find her at all.

X

Kaoru tucked her knees against her chest and rested her chin on the level plane they created. Her head hurt. _Everything_ hurt. It was impossible to tell if it was night or day, if she was even more than an hour past her kidnapping. Her memories were twisted, wrapped in an order that confused her. _His_ handiwork; the half-finished job _he_ had managed earlier. Kaoru tucked herself even closer to her knees, wishing her slight frame was even smaller than it appeared. She _ached_. She wasn't even sure if it was all physical.

She needed to eat. She hadn't had anything besides the small mouse she had caught earlier and she couldn't quite remember actually draining it dry, just waking from a cat-nap with the thing dead in her hands and warm blood on her tongue. Tears caught and held at her lashes. The knowledge of her hunger gave her little peace; she felt slightly sick at the idea of eating an animal such as a mouse. Something inside her writhed with the need for a human's warm throat to tear out. To feed on something hot and rushing and filling, and then to go back to her mate and…

"_Battousai will come for you.'_ His voice had been honey and silk, a voice honed to mesmerize. Kaoru still felt the fingers of it trailing down her spine, her body shaking with the aftereffects of whatever he had used to dampen her gift. Stirring something altogether different in her veins, something that shouldn't have been there at all, something _hungry_.

_'I will use you to kill him.'_

Kaoru ducked low, her face buried against her thighs. Her stomach muscles cramped from the tight position but Kaoru could care less. Her thoughts were sluggish and tired, a reaction to the lack of food. She was going to need to eat soon. She knew there was prey around and she felt sick every time she thought of them that way. Pressing a knuckle to her mouth she bit back the sensation of being pulled out of control. Every time a shadow passed by her door, she felt the need to _lure_ them in.

Kaoru rocked back and forth even as small sparks of heat began to enter her bloodstream. Every time a male figure – vampire or human – came near the door to her small room, her blood turned to liquid heat. She had first thought it had to do with her need for blood, but had changed her mind. Even now Kaoru was aware of the beads of sweat slowly sliding down her temples, of the ache – _need_ – that began to turn her body pliant; the burning sensation buried in her bones and muscles. Her gift twisted alongside it, calling for something. _Someone_. Using its manipulative control on base emotions. Lust. Desire. The need to possess.

Something dark and primitive was whispering for attention. Whatever it was the closer the male, the stronger it became. Kaoru shook and bit her knuckles harder in an attempt to keep it at bay for as long as possible. She felt the tenuous hold on the instincts she had been keeping in check slip and falter as the pounding in her blood increased.

She needed something, and until she got what she needed, she knew she was going to kill or destroy everything in her path. It was in the growing red in her vision and the temptation to simply rip every shred of clothing from her body and press herself against a hard body in an attempt to repress the ache churning in her stomach. She wanted something. Leaning forward, she dug her nails into the muscles of her thigh and hissed between her teeth.

She was going to get it.

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_**Please Comment.**_


	9. Chapter Nine

Re-Posted: 11/6/10

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Kaoru stood in an attempt to relieve some of the tension in her muscles; the heat in her blood forcing her to move. Reaching up, she caught the ribbon that held her hair away from her face and pulled on it viciously. The coolness of her hair was a welcome contrast to the heat of her skin.

She had slept and woken two more times to small furry bodies, their small gift of blood allowed her to shake the continuing need to sleep. At some point, she had sliced off most of the bottom of her kimono to be able to move in a fit of temper. The sleeves had been torn off at the hem and she felt cooler, freer. Running her tongue along her bottom lip, she stretched her body like a cat. An unfamiliar scent caught her attention and she went still. Two healthy men stood outside her door, shuffling their feet as if they were uncomfortable. They would be drawn to her against their will. Any male in the area, human or vampire would come to her now that she demanded it.

Kaoru felt her canines sharpen at the faint sound of quick heartbeats. Prey. Kaoru reached for what was crackling in her blood stream on instinct. She delighted in how it echoed in every pore of her body. She was _hungry_. She wanted blood and relief from the echoing, pounding heat that was driving her mad.

Closing her eyes, Kaoru ducked behind the curtain of her hair when she heard the shoji door slide open. Sweat, arousal, and the promise of blood assaulted her senses. She could hear the hammering of their hearts and the way they goaded each other on. The soft murmurs of who got to try first. A game to them; promised nourishment to her. She knew she was impossible to resist right now… not with the way she looked and the way she smelled.

Kaoru judged their body weight and decided that she really only needed one alive. One would have more than enough blood. The nails on her hands lengthened and twisted into sharp claws and she forced herself to hold still as her prey drew closer. She had never used her nails like this before and she contemplated them thoughtfully.

Her hair hid her smile.

Her smile widened when one of the men reached out to touch her, falling into her trap. _She was so hungry_. He froze when he caught sight of her hand, the dagger like nails but she gave him little time to react. Reaching up, she brushed her fingers down his throat and watched as his blood beaded up before she sank them deep. His large body collapsed with a mangled cry. Remove her nail, she brought them to her lips to lick clean while the other man started taking slow, careful steps backwards.

He was clearly caught between arousal and fright and Kaoru allowed her body to move in a sensuous slink toward the heavy breathing male. The fear was delicious and came off his body in waves. He couldn't move if he wanted to, not after she ran her tongue over her mouth and caught him with her eyes. Not when she was showing long glimpses of thigh.

Kaoru judged his frantic, weak _ki_ and dismissed him altogether as unworthy. He wouldn't be able to hurt a child of her race. If a man was going to churn this fire in her blood, he would have to have strength. She craved that first coupling and this one…he would never be able to seduce her. His blood would feed her, giving her the power to call stronger males to her.

"Where are you going?" Kaoru asked her voice throaty with need.

Her voice was a promise of heated, wild sex. The man froze, even as his brain attempted to register his friend's still body, the blood running from his torn throat. The bulge in his pants told her she had him, even with the carnage. Kaoru shook her head and stalked closer. She the one who would enjoy her killing tonight.

Kaoru traced a hand up the man's chest, her now short nails scratching the skin just under his _gi_. The man trembled slightly as his body betrayed him, unable to run. Kaoru allowed her other hand to slip lower, caressing his obvious arousal. He reached down in an attempt to pull the rest of her kimono from her shoulders, but she pouted up at him. He wasn't worth baring herself to. Instead, she tightened her grip on the man's bulge and scraped her nails back up his muscled chest. His breath sucked in and she smirked. Too bad for him she wasn't interested in seeing how rough he liked it. It was easy to read his _ki_, her fingers tightening and twisting, the man's moans filling the pale room.

Kaoru watched in satisfaction as the man's head fell back, the guttural sounds of pleasure scraping her ears. Human were so…_disgusting_. Kaoru slowly began to kiss a path up the man's chest, until she reached his pulse point, aware of his responses to her hands. Her blunt teeth scraped delicately and he stumbled backwards; pulling her with him to the wall. Her tongue snaked out to trace his frantic pulse once. He groaned and attempted to bury his hands in her hair. Kaoru bit down hard, her small white teeth arching into the man's throat hotly as she held his heavy frame against the wall. His grip slowly loosened as she drained him dry. When she took all she needed, she ripped his throat out as well.

"Never trust a beautiful woman," Kaoru purred at the dead man. With the fresh blood in her veins, Kaoru allowed herself to increase her call. Either someone would come and relieve the great fire in her blood or she would kill every man that entered this room. Her senses twinged as she turned toward where she could sense great amounts of _ki_ and her tongue slipped around her mouth to clean it of blood. Lips curling upwards, she ran a tongue over the edge of one fang.

More males.

X

Kenshin stood outside, eyes dark as they studied the mansion in front of them. It was obvious that the family had recently added on a western-style parlor, advertising their support of the changes in the government as well as their wealth. Light filtered dully through the glass windows and he could feel the recent death on the air. From what he remembered of the Yukishiro clan, it was entirely possible that using this hybrid of old and new would have amused Yukishiro – killing the family here would have just been an added bonus.

Not long. Not now. Now when he had _her_. Not when her scent and echoes of her _ki_ echoed along the area in vibrations – careless of Yukishiro to let so much of her gift free. It was as he had told her: she was his and no one else's. Glancing over at Shinomori, he tilted his head foreword in warning before easily breaking inside. Inside there was a barrier of power, but the purpose seemed to be holding power in instead of out.

Yukishiro looked up and grimaced. "Come to collect her, Battousai? I am sure she is debating even as we speak as to whom she will spread her legs for."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. ""What did you do?"

Yukishiro laughed, standing behind a large desk, his back to an open corridor as the eyes of every male in the room swung toward the door at the sound of a very feminine moan. His amusement darkened as he watched Battousai stiffen.

"_Someone,_" Yukishiro drawled, "Didn't bond his mate properly. Unfortunately, when I attempted to break her mind open, her mating cycle took over. So far, she has killed both human guards who were keeping an eye on her. It's a pity, really. She's strong enough right now that I can't kill her without risking being trapped by her gift as well. Very sloppy, Battousai."

Kenshin's jaw muscles worked hard for several long moments before his eyes narrowed. He could smell her now, all hot arousal. The parlor would open up into the traditional sections of the home, but she couldn't be far away if Yukishiro had been forced to ward the entrance to the home.

"You unleashed her mating cycle," Kenshin repeated.

Yukishrio raised a brow. "Who would have thought it was possible with only a half-bonded mate?"

It looked like he was going to say something else, when a slim feminine hand snaked around his waist and pulled him backwards. Yukishiro flinched forward at the sudden contact and the muscles along his jaw went white with tension. Kaoru pressed up against him as her hand dropped from his waist to smooth suggestively across the front of his trousers. All the three men in the room could see was the long length of a naked leg and strands of dark hair as she rose up on her tip toes to nip at his ear before nuzzling along his pulse point while her hands continued to roam.

"What's wrong?" Kaoru's voice crooned from the hallway as Yukishiro made a low, panicked noise. "You don't want to play?"

Her head moved as she sucked on the skin behind Yukishiro's ear and the man gave a tortured moan. Her small hand was making quick work on fastenings of his trousers while the other was doing decidedly wrong things to the outside of his pants. Before Kenshin had decided on just how many pieces he was going to leave Yukishiro in, the edge of one fang grazed his neck, drawing several droplets of blood. Catching them on her tongue, she flinched back, hissing.

Kaoru fisted her hands in his gi and tossed him into the desk. There was a long claw mark alone the right side of his chest. Kaoru leaned against the doorframe, licking her nails as she watched the men. Kenshin's eyes lowered to where he could see the long, slender length of her calves up to mid-thigh. Her torn kimono parted enough to show off tantalizing glimpses of breast-bindings, her hair wild and loose around her shoulders, and her little pink tongue flicking in and out as she delicately cleaned her nails.

"You taste a bit too sweet for my liking," Kaoru said as she took a bit more suggestive pose. Her eyes swung to the other three men as if measuring them. Her eyes flickered around before she sighed.

"A girl just can't find what she needs around here, can she?" Kaoru turned away from the men and left the room, her hips swaying as she walked back into the darkened hallway that lead back into the family rooms. Her voice had been a drawl of awareness down their spines and Sano gulped audibly.

Yukishiro picked himself off the floor and glared at the other men. "She is on a rampage." There was a strained note in his voice and Sano sighed. Too bad her nails hadn't been a few inches higher…

"That was Jou-chan?" Sano finally asked his voice rough. "She…"

"Is mine." Battousai stated his voice surprisingly even. For all that he was standing so calmly, there was a spark of temper flickering in his eyes and a set to his jaw that Sano found… difficult to interpret. "Aoshi, kill Yukishiro. Sano, either aid him or stay out of the way."

Sano opened his mouth, but Battousai cut him off. "I have to go and deal with her before she tears a hole in one of the walls and starts looking for someone else to play with." There was a note of possession in his voice and Sano's teeth clicked shut. He turned to watch as Yukishiro grasped his sword and glared at the men while Battousai slipped past into the hall to stalk his mate. Kaoru must have been extremely dangerous right then if Yukishiro was letting Battousai deal with her instead of trying to kill him when he was busy.

Shinomori didn't really say anything as he moved forward, so Sano simply decided to follow him. Sano wanted Yukishiro dead and then he wanted out of there as soon as possible. Being around the two who were fixing to have an orgy in the back room was not high on his priority list.

X

Kenshin moved down the hall and smelled the fresh scent of blood. With the size of the blood splatters that were on her arms and clothing, she had to have torn someone's throat out. Kenshin eased open the door and thoughtfully examined the room. Kaoru was standing next to another door with her head tilted slightly as she turned to watch him enter, an irritated expression flickering over her eyes.

"What do you want?"

There was a human propped up against the wall, his throat still oozing. His partner was lying on his stomach, but the blood pooling around him wasn't as much as it could have been, so he suspected that she had fed off him.

His eyes flickered back to Kaoru, who was watching him with an un-amused expression and more than a little lust. Her eyes were wide and practically glowing with bloodlust, her lips bruised and full. It was apparent that she had no intention of bedding either of the men, for the futon remained untouched and rolled neatly in the corner.

He felt his blood heat at the sight of her standing so fiercely over her kill. His hands slid the door shut behind him with a soft click. Kaoru's eyes watched him cautiously, as if she sensed the danger in him.

"I came after what is mine to take." He returned, his eyes narrowing as she studied him and then dismissed him again.

"I'm not interested." Her tone was irritated. "You had your chance. I prefer a male who knows how to take what he wants."

He raised a cool brow at her. She had fallen into the natural rhythm of their people then. He had never been around a female vampire in her cycle, but he knew her more aggressive side was going to be showing its true colors. However, he hadn't expected this. His lips curled into a predatory smile and he shrugged out of his gi.

"Is that so?" His voice was whisper soft. A female vampire ran mostly on instincts when in a state such as this. She was edgy, high on blood and her recent kill, and in a constant state of arousal. Her gift wouldn't let her submit to anyone who couldn't overpower her. If he had bonded to her, he could have neutralized her need of the kill. It didn't bother him. The idea of having a hard tumble with Kaoru was very…appealing.

Kaoru watched him with amusement.

"I take it you want to play then?" Her tone was just shy of a breathy laugh, her body sliding into a more defensive position.

Her kimono rode up on her thighs and she crouched low as she watched him, completely uninhibited and aware of her power. This was no shy halfling turned into a full-vampire, but Kaoru had she been born and raised as one of his own. She raised a hand to her mouth and pressed a few clawed fingers to her full bottom lip, as if attempting to still a smile.

She was baiting him… and it was cute. He moved forward and watched as the muscles in her legs bunched. He was slightly surprised at her speed as her nails slicing against the muscle in his shoulder. She shot him an amused look as she flicked her tongue out to taste his blood. "Not bad… too bad I am not interested."

Kenshin moved to stalk her again. "But I am."

Kenshin kept his eyes on his mate as he deliberately kicked the futon open. The room was dark, dank and smelled of a fresh kill. Not exactly where he imaged taking what was his for the first time. The mating cycle would last for anywhere from an hour to a week, until it was sweated out of her. He had every intention of riding this round out before he moved her back to the dojo. If Sano and Aoshi had any sense, they would be on their way to Kyoto soon. His teeth flashed in the pale light. This was going to be fun.

"Where do you think you are going?" His low voice asked as she moved to the closed screen. It sent another shot of fire to race through Kaoru's already humming blood. This one was delicious… but she wanted to find a different toy. Something about him was familiar and she didn't want him to touch her …that didn't mean she couldn't touch him. Kaoru hissed her small, sharp fangs flashing. Kaoru waited until his eyes flickered to judge the positions of the bodies in the rooms before she lunged.

Her body caught his off guard and she slammed him into the western wall with enough force to rattle his teeth. Her hand reached down to grasp him firmly and then her small pink tongue flicked out to catch the drops of red liquid sliding down his arm. Rising up on tiptoes, she sighed into his ear.

"Not interested," she murmured before slamming a fist into his gut and darting away.

"I think," Kenshin softly remarked as he pulled himself to his full height, his eyes taking on a dangerous glint as he stalked her body across the room, "that is enough games."

Then he lunged after her. She darted away and put the table between them, her fangs flashing as she snarled at him. He curled his own lips back and hissed, the sound dominate and male; he watched as her eyes dilated in reaction. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, but if that was the game she wanted to play, so be it. They circled each other, both attempting to out maneuver the other. Kenshin narrowed his dark gaze, timing her movements perfectly.

She bumped into one of the bodies and looked down for a fraction of an instant and he utilized his speed to slam her into the wall and press her flat, catching her hands when she went for his throat and kissed her. He maneuvered his body between her thighs so she couldn't slam a knee into his groin and pressed up against her to let her know the effect she was having on him. She twisted and bucked against him and his mind saw white. She tore her mouth away from him and did it again. When his eyes fluttered, she shoved off the wall and they rolled around on the floor as they attempted to dominate the each other.

Kaoru scratched at his pale chest with her sharp nails and tried to bring up a knee. Kenshin attempted to pin her sweat slick form, using his weight against her he grappled for her wrists, wary of her claws. Locking her hands above her head, he held her there and ground his hips against hers. His left calf was brushing against the futon and he stared at her flushed and furious face, watched the way her eyes fluttered as he ground their hips together.

Suddenly, with more strength than he gave her credit for, she managed to wrap one leg around his waist and flip them, rolling them onto the futon. He momentarily lost his grip and she sprang for his throat. He managed to catch her hands, feeling the violence of her _ki_ as she fought him. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist, her soft body pressed against the hard length of him; he reached up with his free hand and jerked her head to his mouth. Kenshin attempted to exert his dominance while maneuvering them back to him being on top, while he was kissing her. Kaoru was still fighting him, unhappy with the fact that she was caught, unhappy with his mouth on hers. Kenshin brushed his tongue against hers; his touch this side of rough as he fought to prove through his body why he was more dominate. Kenshin pulled his mouth free for an instant and she lunged up, and buried her fangs in his throat; a last ditch attempt to kill him, to drain him dry.

Kenshin went still as her mouth began to pull at his skin, her teeth deep. Her movements were rough, meant to hurt but as she sucked hard, her body relaxed under him. Kenshin allowed himself a groan as her hand moved up his chest in an unconscious caress. The bond between them tightened and held firm as she finished feeding. Kenshin reached along the link and found the part of her running wild and quickly subdued the aspect of her _ki_ that demanded blood.

When she pulled back, her mouth red and, her eyes had lost the stark need of the kill. Kenshin met her gaze squarely – the bond was complete now – and he wondered what his mate was going to do. Her mouth, rich with his blood, lifted in invitation. Leaning forward, he kissed her letting her roaming hands slide down and destroy what was left of his hakema. He groaned as her hands dug into his back, tongue demanding entrance into his mouth.

Kenshin easily removed the rest of her clothing, tearing at the delicate fabric with his nails. Kaoru snaked her hands along Kenshin firm chest even as one foot slithered up and down the back of his thighs. Her fingers were everywhere, his hair, his skin, and moving down. Kenshin caught her hands and shook his head. He was heavily aroused, his canines sharp against his mouth. He had no intention of letting her set the pace. He lowered his mouth to her chest and laved at her throat, her generous breasts, and held her hands firmly above her head.

Leaning forward, he traced her pulse point with tongue – once, twice – before he bit into the smooth column of her throat. Forgetting her hands as he enjoyed the rich, wild taste the mating call brought to her blood, he stiffened in shock when her hands found what they had been looking for earlier. Stroking, tracing, and grasping, she left Kenshin no choice but to release her throat and attempt to rein her in. He was going to need all the energy he had to wear her body down enough to get her back to the dojo. He did not plan on letting her send him over the proverbial edge yet. Gritting his teeth he managed to slip her hands back up his body.

Looking down into her flushed face, he was unable to help kissing her mouth again as he moved his hips back between her thighs. Her eyes were almost black with lust as he pushed into her with one hard stroke. He traced her collarbone with his mouth while she adjusted to him and nipped at the delicate skin at her throat. Kaoru jerked against him, her body pressing flush against his. Her nails dug into his back as she hissed as he moved inside her, her legs tightening with bruising force as she buried her teeth in his shoulder when he drove her mad. Her inner muscles tightened around him and her muffled wail reached his ears.

Kenshin waited until she had removed her fangs before nipping at her bottom lip, before digging the tips of his fangs for a blood-kiss.

"Like that?" He questioned. She shifted around him again, smiling against his shoulder as she lowered her head and tightened her inner muscles in a completely unfair use. Kenshin groaned. He dropped his head to kiss her again before continuing their activities.

Sometime later, Kaoru fell against Kenshin's chest, her body shaking with the after effects of his touch, eyes heavy with exhaustion. Kenshin's hands were still buried in her thick hair and Kaoru wondered if she was going to have the strength to untangle their limbs. Her body still burned, but at least her physical state did not allow for anything but numb exhaustion.

Kenshin felt the change in her _ki_, knew that the first wave was at least sated for the moment. He waited until her breathing evened out before he disentangled their sweat slick bodies and picked her up in his arms. Carefully, he wrapped her in the blanket that had been knocked to the floor in their tussle. Moving, he easily cloaked his presence; he had no intention of anyone seeing them. Kaoru was his to enjoy _only_.

Moving swiftly, he headed to the dojo. He would drop Kaoru off in their room and then head off to feed. Hopefully he would get a few hours of rest before he was once again enjoying the cycle of his life mate. Perhaps next time they would have more patience. There were some particularly delightful things that he intended to do to her before her cycle was done.

X

Yahiko sat on the train, watching the sky go by. It had turned dark a few hours ago and he didn't really care for riding the train in the dark. Misao had somehow gotten her hands on first class tickets and they were sitting in a closed in chamber.

Soujiro was propped up against the other window, his breathing shallow as he slept off the effects of Battousai's attacks. Megumi had softly given him and Misao a field-surgeon lesson as they helped bandage Soujiro up. The short version was that Battousai had shoved Soujiro's lungs, bones, and tissues toward Soujiro's heart so he could slowly crush it with the flat of his sword. Yahiko had felt slightly sick. He hadn't thought that was actually possible…

"We should be there soon," Misao muttered tiredly, her expression tense. Yahiko raised a brow, but she didn't say anything. Yahiko paused and attempted to see it from her view and sighed with her. Two men, one of them wounded the other very young, and two vulnerable women. Going into Kyoto. That was sure to cause a stir. Although he doubted it would cause the same amount of stir if Battousai was actually getting off the train with them. That would have caused a few problems. As far as Yahiko knew, Battousai hadn't been back to these blood-stained lands in years.

Bringing his mate home. Yahiko shuddered at the thought. The idea of Kaoru being Battousai's anymore than she already was turned his stomach.

X

Kaoru woke to the feeling of something warm oozing through her veins. It was a strange sort of contentedness mixed with a growing need that kept her from feeling completely sated. Needing to move, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. It wasn't until she was sitting up that she realized that she was naked. Her body was completely bare. Kaoru hurriedly ran her mind over the past day and her mouth went dry. The vague recollection of her and Kenshin fighting on a futon, his warm hands running across her skin, his hard…

"You're awake." His voice was warmly possessive, amused.

Kaoru looked around for some sort of protection, but was left with nothing but her hair.

"Good." He made to move forward, the hard muscles of his bare thighs catching her attention…along with… Kaoru turned bright red, even as something hungrily churned through her abdomen. His body was toned and hard and she knew what it could do to her and she _wanted_ it to.

"What…" Kaoru tried, her voice strained as she moved away from him. This was not how she wanted to spend the morning. Naked and vulnerable and dealing with an overly-sexed vampire who looked like he wanted to eat her.

"Don't remember?" Kenshin sound so amused with her. Kaoru stopped only when the bare skin of her of her back hit cool rice paper. He was suddenly in front of her, his lean muscles open for her fingertips to explore.

Kaoru moved her eyes away from his body and tried to work some moisture into her dry mouth. "Remember?"

"Apparently you need something to jog your memory." Kenshin mused against the bare skin of her shoulder, suddenly much closer than before, his thighs settling around her sprawled legs, his lips brushing along the edges of her full body-blush. "Does this help?"

His tongue traced along the edges of her neck and his fangs scraped against her throat so that she moaned low in her throat. He hauled her up in one smooth motion and Kaoru's mind blanked for a moment with the feel of him against her before she panicked.

Kaoru moved fast enough Kenshin was mildly impressed. She was on the other side of the room between one heartbeat and the next; the full length of her body open to his gaze. She had broken his hold easily and he smiled as he followed the progress of her body as he stalked her around the room.

"Look, Kenshin," Kaoru tried as her eyes snapped flame and fire at him. Her words were cut off as his eyes narrowed and he playfully lunged and she squeaked and darted away, her chest bouncing with her movements. This game of cat and mouse was far more entertaining now that she wasn't attempting to tear his throat out. Her eyes kept swinging toward and away from his body, and he could sense the tremble in her _ki_ through their link as his movements worked to reawaken the heat in her blood.

There was a spark along the link as her instincts began to kick into gear, and they practically begged for his help. He had fed, was rested, and her body was craving both his touch and his blood. It was only a matter of time before she gave in.

"Stay on your side of the room," Kaoru tried again, her anger an attempt to hide her uncertainty. Something inside her was insisting that she wanted him. The words he had whispered earlier were running around in her head, creating a heat in her that was unquenchable. She wanted what he promised, wanted his hands on her body, the long length of him inside her, and the hot press of his mouth against hers. She needed the strong caress of his tongue on her skin.

He could smell her arousal, calling, tempting, and he was suddenly tired of the game. Lightening fast reflexes that knew each step she would take put him in front of her next step. She yelped, jerking to the side, but his hands slid over her shoulders and down her back, jerking her into his chest. His mouth met hers then, an insistent call to her body, a caress meant to tempt. She fell flush against him, the soft press of her skin temptation.

Kaoru gave a sobbing moan as his hand slipped between her legs. He had every intention of sweating her out of her heat as soon as possible but he had plans to enjoy this. To learn every inch of her. She had reciprocated the bond and his instincts tugged at him. She was his now and there was nothing she could do about it. Her body betrayed her even as she struggled to keep from falling, to keep from reaching for him as she gave little breathless sobs of pleasure.

His fingers were skilled and as he pressed into her, he hitched her legs around his waist, his mouth pressing against one soft breast. He held her easily as she came, sobbing into his hair as her fingers clutched spastically at his shoulders. Even as she shuddered with climax, part of her refused to give into his keeping. Some almost silent, rebellious part of her refused him. His mouth curved against her chest. He wanted all of her. He wasn't even close to having started. Only when she went limp around him did he ease her feet to the floor.

"Mmm…" Kenshin whispered in her ear as he brought his hand to mouth, deliberately licking. "You taste good."

Kaoru gave an incoherent reply, her hands clutching at his arms.

"I think… I _know_; I want a better taste. You didn't give me enough time to play last time." Kaoru raised hazy eyes to meet his, her vampiric abilities already giving strength to her limbs. She probably didn't notice, but she wasn't leaning quite so heavily against him.

"I think… this time, you should scream my name. I want all of you. You _will_ give into me completely this time. You will reach for me and bury yourself into my keeping." He nipped at her bottom lip. Just because he was demanding that she give him everything, didn't mean he needed to return the favor. If this was what it took to keep her safe, he would suffer through it. He _would_ be the only one who could hurt her. He hadn't planned on binding her so tightly to him or having her as an equal. Kaoru would be kept safe from anything but him. She was an Empath, which meant he would have to keep an eye on her emotional state as well as her physical. Time consuming and exactly what he had been attempting to avoid.

He lightly pushed her body towards the futon, watching as she stumbled, her knees still trembling slightly. She collapsed onto the futon and he pushed her shoulders down until she was sprawled out. She attempted to rise, but his hands easily held her still. Kaoru trembled as her body recovered from the afterglow and she attempted to find the breath to say something. Anything really. Her words were cut off when his tongue traced a path down her breasts, slowly sliding lower.

"Oh Kami…" Kaoru moaned as he hitched both of her knees over his shoulders.

Kenshin's golden gaze rose upwards. "Very close, Kaoru. Keep trying." Kaoru felt her eyes go wide, his tongue was stroking in the hidden folds of her body and she lost every thought she could have processed. His tongue was… Kaoru moaned, incoherent words begging, even as her body twisted higher, but he didn't pause. Her body was thrashing as his strong hands held her still.

"My name, Kaoru…" He demanded even as her breathless cries arched into the screams he had promised her. Kaoru had little choice, the fingers that slid inside her were pressing with enough pressure to make her see white. He never sent her over, watching her face as she strained against his hands, but he never allowed her that gratification, the burning that her instincts demanded from her. He kept her knees on his shoulders, leaning down to kiss the soft skin of her chest, the softness of her center pressed into his chest, stretching her.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru sobbed, desperate. He gave a sound of satisfaction before slipping her legs off his shoulders and directing them round his waist.

It didn't take long before she lost control, her body arching as she came, muscles clenching around him tightly. He moaned, but stilled at her movements. Leaning forward, his lips brushed her ear, and down her throat. "Bind yourself to me. Give yourself to me."

He swept his hands along her body, driving her past her ability to _think_ so that she was reaching for what he would give her, reaching for him, reaching for anything. Her cries turned hoarse with repetition and she sobbed in pleasure as she gave into him. His own echoes of pleasure faded into the background as she felt the world turn white.

He kissed her neck, licking a path long her vein. "You need to feed."

Kaoru groaned her body warmly sated. She didn't think she could move; much less find the energy to swallow. He pulled her into his arms, his body firm against hers. He directed her teeth towards his neck, allowing her instincts to take over, letting her use his strength.

She fed quietly, her mouth moving softly against his skin. He had no desire to act on the sudden need that flared at the contact. He knew that it was only round one on day two of her mating cycle. He fully intended to catch a meal and sleep until she woke him again. And she would, because her cycle had been fully initiated now, she would have no choice to beg him for her body's release. He smiled a flash of sharp fangs and let his hands slide down the curves of her waist. She had come so close that time to wrapping around his strength. He was confident that she would give in before the week was over. He refused to worry about why his instincts were driving him so hard on this.

"I told you, your body was mine to possess," he whispered as he kissed her temple again, curling slightly around her as she licked his wound. Then with a little sigh, her eyes fluttered shut and she fainted.

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**_Please Comment_**


	10. Chapter Ten

Re-Posted: 11-7-10

* * *

Kenshin sat quietly in the private train compartment he had rented the day before. His sword was propped up against the shoulder closest to the door. Kaoru had been asleep since the morning before and as far as he could tell, she would probably stay that way for another day, perhaps two. Her head was cushioned on his lap and her breathing was slow and even. He had tried settling her on the other bench but when the train lurched she simply rolled off. He was now keeping close enough to keep her on the bench.

She was wrapped in a plain yukata and bundled in a blanket, but he had blurred her frame easily and they would arrive in Kyoto at night; no humans would be any wiser to her presence. Recovering from her cycle, no one would notice her _ki_ under the steady pulse of his own. She would slip under any vampire senses easily. He let his eyes linger over the curves he memorized thoroughly over the past week and his mouth curled into a possessive smile. Her hair was a loose tangle around her pale skin and the fingers of his left hand were buried at the base of her neck.

He couldn't stop the little possessive gesture and he didn't really try to. He was learning that the part of him that accepted her as his mate craved the contact and if he satisfied it in little ways then he wouldn't have to deal with the edgy need her for all day. Driving her past her sanity was something he enjoyed, forcing her to cling to him and beg while she sobbed in her pleasure; gratifying. Cuddling, coddling, curling around her; breathing in her scent, needing her to snuggle against him; these things he was learning to tolerate.

He was not a man used to tempering his touch for anyone. He stared down at the top of her head. Her face was turned towards his knees, and the moment she was comfortable; she had bunched the material of his hakema in her small fist and sighed; as if the contact soothed her. There were going to be complications from the bonding, complications he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with. Even now he could feel her, cushioned in the back of his mind, a tight swirl of emotions and the steady pulse of her heartbeat echoing through him. There was a residue of her gift settled against his own; the blackness of his soul had fought her for a moment but then let her in and the darkness that could turn on him if he wasn't careful, _settled_ under her. He didn't know what to make of it.

He had several things to ask his Master. The least of being of her limitations, he had noticed that she was uneasy earlier when their neighbors had gotten rowdy and he had to build a shield for her gift. It didn't fight him, but he could sense that it was wary. That amused him. Her body was his now and yet part of her was still fearful. He needed to learn how far he could push her and the only way that would work was if she was awake enough for him to take her on hunts. She would hate it, fight him on it, but as his, she would learn how to care for herself. After that if she chose to feed from him alone, he wouldn't object.

The train began to lurch to a stop and he untangled his hands and gently teased her fingers loose from his hakema and picked her up. She was a boneless weight in his arms and he made sure the blanket covered her from the neck to fall over her bare feet. He was ignored as he left the compartment, and he flashed a great deal of fang at the only vampire there that would see past the limitations he placed on the humans around him. He hadn't brought any of her things from the dojo. His mouth curled. Anything she would need he would provide for her once she woke up. He had already sent a missive ahead and his servants had her size and should have been working on her proper wardrobe. Kenshin paused for a moment as she shifted in her sleep, her nose brushing against his neck as she sighed in bliss. She might fight it when she was awake but in sleep she acknowledged his ownership and his claiming – was satisfied by it.

X

Kaoru awoke slowly, aware that she was still tired but needing to get up. Shifting against the heavy press of the quilt, she sat up slowly, her hair tumbling around her shoulders in a messy tangle. Kaoru shoved it out of her way and frowned. She hadn't forgotten to braid her hair before bed since she was a child. Looking around with curious blue eyes, she blinked in surprise. The room was set up with interesting, occasional western pieces. The futon underneath her was soft and comfortable warm. But there was a simple set of wooden chairs and tables and next to the window there was a western desk. The floor held familiar woven mats, and she recognized several other things as being Japanese and she was thankful to find herself in a familiar yukata. But how had she gotten here? Kaoru glanced outside and blinked in surprise at how light it was outside.

Tossing black the guilt she padded over to the window to overlook a well tended garden. There were large, gorgeous trees rising up, blocking the view of the window even though she could see out. She heard the muffled noise of voices and would have stood there all day if the western-style door hadn't opened and she turned to see Kenshin leaning against the door jam.

"You're awake." He stated quietly, his eyes flicking down to her bare ankles and rising up slowly to her flushed face and wild hair. Kaoru blinked at him in confusion and slowly nodded.

"Where are we?" Kaoru asked finally. She didn't recognize the taste of the air so there was no way they were in Tokyo.

"Kyoto," He informed her lazily. "You need a bath."

Kaoru brushed a hand through her hair and gave him an indignant look.

"I was aware of that, thank you." Her tone was clipped and he looked amused. "I have no idea where the bathhouse is!"

"You could ask." He sounded even more amused and Kaoru bit down on the urge to hit him. He looked… looked… far too possessive of her in that moment. His eyes gleaming in his face with that little smile curving his mouth into something dangerous, as if he knew something she didn't.

"You could volunteer the information." Kaoru returned right back, feeling slightly uneasy around him. The part of her that had snaked under her skin was uneasy as well, but the part of her that Yukishiro had unleashed was rolling back and sighing in contentment at having him this close. In fact, she realized with a start, that somewhere inside her she felt a small spark that hadn't been there before. It was hot and dark and pulsed to a different beat than her heart. Something clenched in her stomach.

He simply shot her another one of those lazy, covetous expressions and moved forward. Kaoru watched him move with a bit of hesitation, and when he reached her he moved so his lips brushed her ear. "Don't get too comfortable. I will send a maid to help you bath and then you are going to learn how to hunt for yourself. Then," his teeth nipped her ear. "I will remind you of a few things."

A masculine breathe of amusement and he was leaving her with her mouth slightly parted in surprise. He had…played with her? Kaoru swallowed as images from the past week rushed over her like a warm wave. Kenshin. Kenshin watching her from a curtain of loose hair while she begged for…Kaoru turned bright red and covered her face with her hands. She felt something stir inside her and she ignored it. It was that same little wicked part of her that had enjoyed watching Jineh struggle while she ripped him to pieces. It was stronger now, and she had the feeling that it would continue to grow and that Kenshin would be encouraging it. Shaking now, she looked up startled at the knock and saw a woman who looked as young as she was but her eyes were dark with years.

"Follow me, Himura-dono," she said in a cultured, utterly subservient voice. "I will be honored to help you with your bath."

Kaoru was going to argue that she could bath on her own, but there was a look in her eyes that suggested that this woman would be utterly polite and submissive to everything she said, but if Kenshin gave an order, it was being kept.

What had she woken up to?

X

Misao dropped next to Yahiko so quickly it startled the boy. "They arrived in Kyoto a day ago." She told him. "Kaoru will probably sleep a bit longer but I don't doubt that he will bring her by when he has to go out."

Yahiko looked at her. "Why?"

Misao paused. "The Oniwabanshu has served Hiko for many, many years and now that Himura has been named his heir, we serve him as well. We would do many great things to keep her safe and he knows it."

Yahiko gave her a thoughtful look. "You say 'we' but you don't follow Aoshi as your Okashira."

Misao grinned. "My sire was the leader of the Oniwabanshu for many years. I could probably make a pretty good argument that I should be in charge, but Aoshi, for all that he is a cold bastard, is actually a very good leader. My disagreement with him has nothing to do with his running of my family. If he gave me an order as my Okashira, I would obey without thought. It's the orders he gives me as my mate I can't stand."

Yahiko grinned. "So you admit he is your mate but you don't want anything to do with him?"

Misao laughed. "You're catching on. Aoshi has a lot of crawling to do before I consider taking him back." There was a distant expression on her face. "There was… a long time ago. Perhaps twenty years or so… I knew he was my mate before he even acknowledged me. I used to think that it was because he didn't want to see me or perhaps he had other things to worry about; even worse, perhaps it was because he had buried his instincts so far into himself to protect himself during the purging that he didn't know I was."

"What was it?" Yahiko asked. "That last one is possible. Battousai killed a lot people during the purging."

"They still haven't found the mastermind." Misao absently commented before shaking herself free. "I knew that wasn't the case when he came back from facing Shishio. He and Himura had made their alliance and nothing would break that. Unless he betrayed Himura," her mouth curled into a mocking smile. "He knew I was his mate, I saw it in his eyes. He knew what I was. I guess after 700 years of living alone he decided he didn't need me. He arranged for me to be bound to someone else until my death and… and…"

Her expression was dark. "Some would think I am being too hard on him but he broke me that day. So I fled to pick up the pieces and learn who Misao was outside of the Oniwabanshu and to find out how weak I was. I found various teachers who took outrageous advantage of me, but I lived. I learned. I am who I am because of all of that and if he thinks I am going to run into his arms because he now realizes he made a mistake, he is a bigger bastard than I originally thought. He was the only one who left me, so I guess me finally leaving him surprised him." She shrugged.

Yahiko nodded his head. "You remind me of Kaoru." He told her quietly. "She has a sad past for living so few years and Battousai only makes it worse."

Misao smiled a slow, happy smile. "He won't always. He doesn't realize it himself, but Kaoru is better off with him than anyone else." She assured him. "He won't let anyone else abuse her gift, and no one else can say that. Don't worry about her. She will learn to take care of herself as well."

Yahiko looked at her in disbelief. "Sure."

Misao threw her head back and laughed, clutching her sides as she gave into her hilarity.

"Oh Yahiko," she said wiping her eyes. "When all this is over and Himura wants to go and drag Kaoru around Japan, you should stay here and train as Oniwabanshu. I think you would do very well."

Yahiko went still and then his expression went distant. "I had forgotten he had another decade or so of travel."

Misao looked at him, suddenly sober. "I know. It hurts to be left behind or to leave those you care for behind. The good part is, Yahiko, that you both are going to live for a long, long time and that you won't have to worry about losing her anymore. Who is going to kill Himura's mate?"

Yahiko sighed and sat back, an expression on his face suggesting he didn't want to know.

X

"You mean she is here?" The voice was excited and the woman on the floor shivered with fear. When he was excited she normally found herself tied down to the floor and beaten so he could absorb her pain. He loved to gloat and her family gave off residue sweet enough to be jellies. Hate surge in her heart towards the girl who had escaped. She should have been there as fresh blood, to take away the sting on her own shoulders. Her nails didn't protect her fingers as she dug into the wood.

"I felt residue that isn't from one of ours." She whispered. "She is young and healthy and she bares the stench of our blood." Stench, because they were cursed but there had been something darker in the taint; something that had lurched at her and left her weak. She shivered at the remembrance of yawning darkness.

"Very good, little one," a hand patted at her hair. "We shall have to make plans to trap our little bird that has flown away. See to it at once."

She fled, both from the hatred that seeped in her bones at his contact, and the knowledge that for every second she was in his presence, he ate away at her gift and added it to the storage of power that he kept hidden away. He wanted their gifts and he was slowly stealing them.

Nothing could beat him. Not even death could claim this man.

He sat back when she left and turned to the man they had brought to him three days ago. His hair was dark blond with sweat and grease and his eyes burned in his tan face. "I want all the information you can give me on this…Kamiya my little escaped bird. Once you do and once you take care of Battousai and his foolishness; then you shall rise above your kind as my heir and we shall take down the last of the High Lords. Shishio could not do this, and if you fail me your fate will be the same as his." He smiled then, a dark cold smile. "Do not fail me."

Enishi dropped his head and nodded, a cold smile on his lips. "I long for the day I bend my knee as your Heir. Shishio was a fool and I will bring Battousai down, regardless of what it takes."

"See that you do."

X

Kaoru tugged at her obi with a bit of apprehension. The dark grey colored material was a nice contrast to the water jewel green of her Kimono and matched the pattern of swallows. The Egyptian cotton was soft against her skin and she ran her fingers over the precise, gorgeous stitching. All morning she had dealt with seamstresses in and out of her rooms for fittings. She had been slightly horrified when she found out that Kenshin had dragged her across Japan in only her yukata. The woman – who had refused to give her name – had been extremely helpful, even if her idea of bathing was the scrub her skin raw. She had been asked for a scent preference before being somewhat man handled and tied into this kimono.

Kaoru looked around the area she had been escorted to. Westerners had such odd ideas about houses. The walls were thick and the doors were odd. They had wanted her to wear a soft-shoe inside but she had simply pulled on tabi; she had a pair of sandals somewhere. Kaoru looked around and almost jumped out of her skin when she noticed Kenshin. He was watching her from eyes that gleamed.

"Let's go," Kenshin ordered as he turned away. He was wearing a dark grey gi that almost matched her obi, and black hakama. Kaoru thought he looked good in those colors, but didn't understand why they were both dressed so. Kaoru hurried to catch up and sorely missed her own training clothing. She just knew he was going to make her prance around in constraining woman's clothing for the rest of her life. Narrowing her eyes, she promised that she would get her hands on something else if she had to drag Misao in for help. Kaoru stopped mid-step and blinked in surprise. Misao, Yahiko, Sano…were they here in Kyoto too?

"What?" He asked, turning to give her an impatient look.

Kaoru moved to catch up with him. "I was wondering what happened to the others after Yukishiro grabbed me." His eyes flared at her question, and something dangerous flickered in his eyes; Kaoru was startled by the fact that she _knew_ that danger wasn't pointed at her.

"They're with the Oniwabanshu." He turned and headed down the steps. "Don't fall behind."

Kaoru glared at him before attempting to do as he said, swearing under her breath with the most vile words she could think of. This damn kimono was giving her all sorts of grief. It wasn't like the comforting clothing she had worn at home to remind herself that she was a girl, but this was for someone far grander than she was. She felt like a child playing dress up and was thankful they had let her keep her plain hairstyle.

"Kenshin," Kaoru tried as she finally caught up with him, annoyed at his gait. "Will you please tell me where are going? And will you please slow down? I can't walk properly in this damn thing."

His eyes flickered to her face and he did slow down and she sighed in relief that his next words killed. "We are going to teach you to hunt."

Kaoru wasn't sure when she had clutched his arm, but she was suddenly a lot closer to him, his muscled arm trapped between her small hands and she was staring at him. "What?"

Kenshin gave her an amused looked that twisted into seriousness before she could blink. "You are going to learn how to make your own kills. Its time you learned."

Kaoru felt sick. "You want me…"

He put one hand in the small of her back and began to push her forward with an ease that should have been impossible with her digging her heels in. He didn't even seem to notice her efforts, and Kaoru suddenly had a sickening feeling as to why she was in gray and green. She blended in better.

"You don't have such a problem taking blood from me, Kaoru." He informed her softly as he pushed her towards an alley.

Kaoru gave him a horrified look. Once they were hidden he let her go. "This is how it is going to go. You can pick someone out, using your gift if you wish and help put them out of their misery by killing them; or, you can let me pick someone out, who I think will taste better for you." His eyes flickered. "I prefer young, healthy, and female."

Kaoru gave him another horrified glance.

"It's better, if you learn how to control you gift now." He told her lazily. "So start scanning."

Kaoru stared at him. "Scanning?"

He gave an impatient little noise and sighed. "What I mean, is that you need to open up your gift like you did with Jineh. Learning how to catch your own kill will also teach you how to control your gift. Right now I am shielding you. I am going to drop those shields layer by layer and you're going to see how each layer feels in your mind."

She didn't understand what he was saying but something inside her shifted in warning but before she could say anything she felt something curl away from the part of her that was always reaching and she went still. It was like… looking through a glass at someone and seeing something besides their reflection. Like this was the other side of the still pond.

Kaoru's breathing quickened as she watched the people walk by. Just small things, like annoyance or displeasure whispered through her emotions. Kaoru gripped the side of her kimono when she felt him curl back another layer and this one was worse. It was like someone had thrown a rock into the pond. The image shattered and bounced along and where there were groups of people it was dizzyingly bright. Lust, envy, love; these were coming off them in clouds and waves and mixing. She swayed a bit on her feet. Kaoru almost cried out in disbelief as he dropped the next one. It was like being thrown into the middle of a stampeding crowd of horses. Kaoru stumbled back, as if she had been physically slapped, her eyes only seeing the clashing of rays and thundering of emotions that were suddenly pounding in her head. Behind her there was darkness, thick and rich and whole and she buried herself in it to block the sounds, the ragged pulling, and whimpered low in her throat as she clung to whatever was so quiet.

When she felt Kenshin's _ki_ brush against hers she whimpered again and then whatever had been blocking the incredible noise the crowd had been giving out was gone and all that was left was the faint throb of the first missing layer. Kaoru stayed were she was, gasping into something warm and pulled back only when she felt the first stirring of impatience. Looking up she stared at him in surprise, and he was giving her a look that was both calculating and amused.

"Why were you so quiet?" Kaoru asked her voice hoarse as if she had been screaming.

Kenshin reached up and played with a lose strand of hair. Then he smiled a crooked, dangerous smile that had her stepping away. His hand tightened and she stopped, feeling uncertain even as she felt the emotions he was feeling run through her like water to a sieve.

"Death is always quiet. Pick your target."

Kaoru stared at him opened mouthed, but she could feel the drum of his _ki_ around her and she gulped. It was ready to go out and feed. Kaoru wondered if his gift fed off the deaths around him and she suddenly remembered Sano mentioning him getting stronger from deaths of the Bakumatsu. She could feel the lingering blood on the ground here… it had only been ten years and she could still feel it. Kaoru raised her eyes to his face, confused.

"What happened here?"

He looked slightly startled before his eyes flicked around and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "The fifth division of the Shinsengumi died here."

Kaoru hesitated and then licked her lips. "I never understood why you choose to fight for the Ishinshishi."

Kenshin gave her a sharp glance and then the corner of his mouth curled up. "It's simple. They were the least likely to win and while I could have cared less who would have won, the Shogun's targets were hardly out in the open. With them I could slaughter at will and once I had built up the reputation I wanted; they wanted me to slaughter." A dangerous smile curved along his mouth. "If the Shogun could have offered me more death or the single rights to kill that the Ishinshishi did, I would have fought for them just as easily.

"There was an added benefit I hadn't expected. With all this talk of 'peace' and 'no swords' in a few years Japan will be helpless against our kind. No more samurai's with their ability to sense _ki_. I am sure some will keep up the old traditions but most of the population will be mine for the taking."

Kaoru bit her lip and watched the way his eyes re-focused on her instead of the past.

"You have half a candle mark to pick a target." Kenshin said, turning to look at her with all the shadow in his eyes. "I already have mine picked out and marked. That is your last warning."

Kaoru licked her lips and turned to the crowd, her heart hammering in her ears. Her teeth bit down on her bottom lip as she worked to concentrate on the crowd and not that wonderful darkness behind her. She wanted to go and crawl into his chest and that irked her. She didn't know how long she stood there, her eyes flicking back and forth, side to side, before she finally found something that might work. She knew, without knowing, that if she picked something horrendous then Kenshin was going to hand her the body of a fresh young girl. She was going to have to eat something…healthy; like a child drank milk.

That sent a shudder down her spine. It was a girl and that ate at her stomach, but she was depressed and dangerously so. Her bearing suggested that she was going to take her own life within a matter of hours, and while Kaoru couldn't say how she knew this, she did know that that girl would die a lot less painfully at her fangs than by ramming herself with her father's katana.

"Good choice." His breath feathered in her ear. "She is strong and healthy. You need all the energy you can get after last week."

Kaoru turned and glared up at him. "She is going to kill herself anyway." Kaoru couldn't stop the twinge of pain in her voice and he gave her a look.

"You're going to have to learn to move without being seen. Move through their blind spots; use your gift to manipulate how they see you. You control their emotions. Make them believe that you are unimportant."

Kaoru licked her lips. "That's…impossible."

He gave her a hard glance. "I mean it. Imagine what it would be like if all those people were under you, couldn't see you, and for damn sure couldn't touch you." He waited until she looked like she was complying before pressing a hand to the small of her back and shoving her forward. "If you want to eat, you will manipulate your gift to cover a broad space. Through the shields, and if you don't, you will not eat until you figure it out." His tone was flat. "Go get your dinner."

Kaoru stumbled into the crowd. As she stumbled she reached for both the instincts she had learned as a human and the gift that writhed under her skin. It danced up and she struggled to make it understand what she wanted, what she needed.

It twisted out of her like ribbons of fire, the dancing of colorful fabric in a summer's sweet wind. However, as she struggled, beads of sweat falling down her forehead in small droplets of water, she was ignored by the people around her.

Kaoru stared at the girl who was glaring at the flower stand. How on earth was she supposed to do this? She didn't understand this whole mind control concept and she didn't understand… Kaoru paused mid-thought. Chewing on her bottom lip for a moment she sent out a tentative trailer and attempted to remember how Yukishiro had entered her mind. He didn't use the same approach Kenshin did… but he had used something that was a cold echo of her gift; so if hers was an emotional level of Yukishiro's…

Kaoru was sweating profusely by the time the girl moved and seemed to drift into the alley, her expression blank and cold. Kaoru licked her lip before following. Kaoru felt something sick lurch in her stomach and Kenshin's words only made it worse.

"Good. That was unexpected, but I will show you a few different ways next time." He sounded satisfied. Then his heat was pressed up against her spin, hand warm against her hip. "When you feed, you will drink until you feel the change in her blood – it becomes sweeter just before death. No matter the gift, all vampires can feel a life force dying. Some more than others. You must drink her until she dies."

Kaoru gave him a horrified look, and he just watched her before slashing open the girl's neck so she could smell the blood her body had been starving for. Kaoru gave him a furious glance but walked over and bit down and drank deeply. It tasted… different than Kenshin and not better. She didn't know how long she drank but Kenshin was right the blood did start to taste richer and then…

Kaoru dropped the girl like a sack of rice and stumbled backwards. If she hadn't crashed into Kenshin she would have landed hard. His hands caught her arms firmly and he whipped her around to glare at her. Kaoru gave a gasp struggled to breath past the sensation of her own lungs and heart shutting down. Struggling past the feeling she barely recognized the feel of his wrist against her lips but she bit down on reflex when the blood touched her lips. As soon as the warm blood touched her tongue it was immediately easier to breath and the feeling of suffocating ended. It took another warm mouthful to let go and then she stumbled into the wall and slid down it while he stared at her with a blank expression on his face. Kaoru ignored him and tucked her knees to her chest and fought against the tears that were gathering behind her eyes.

Kenshin said nothing, and for that Kaoru was thankful. The girl was on the ground was gasping for air, and Kaoru knew, her stomach churning, that she was struggling to breathe. There was the sound of a katana unsheathing and then the girl was quite. Kaoru was thankful he was strong enough remove the head in one strike. Suddenly, she was pulled upwards and a pair of hands were grasping her forearms and steadying her.

"Pull yourself together." He ordered quietly. His voice was firm, not harsh and she watched him with dazed eyes. "I am shielding you again. Next time we will see if that happens when I shield you from her death. You will learn to hunt on your own. There might come a time when I cannot feed you, Kaoru."

Kaoru swallowed hard, the rush of his blood in her mouth so much more _addicting_ than the taste of the girl. It was the note of what might have been concern in his _ki_ that told her this wasn't one of his games. Licking her lips, she realized she had been crying. Reaching up, she swiped at her cheeks. Even more surprising was when he handed her a soft cloth to wipe her face clean.

"I killed the girl, so I won't need to feed. We're heading back." He paused, fingers rubbing hair between his fingers for a moment before he sighed and pulled away. Kaoru stared at his back helplessly for a moment before she followed.

X

Megumi quietly went over all the herbs and bandages that she had on stock in the Aoiya. Her hands moved with practiced ease as her mind drifted to other places. Batts was back in town. She had felt the change in the air two days ago when he stepped back on soil. After healing him for the ten years she had became attuned to his presence. She had felt the moment that he began to absorb darkness echoing along lines of power that crisscrossed along Kyoto; they always held an echo of him. She doubted that there was a dark alley that he hadn't used his dark gift in, where he had taught it to kill; taught himself control.

"Collecting herbs?" Sano's mocking drawl echoed in the almost empty room. Megumi allowed her eyes to slid shut and taped down on the rising emotion in her. Part of her wanted to be furious at him, wanted to give a scathing remark; she had gotten good at those. Another part rippled in hurt and frustration and that was the part she attempted to mentally destroy.

"You shouldn't bite the hand that heals you." She returned carelessly. She kept her expression carefully neutral and she turned and looked at him. "I don't have any oath that says I must put you back together when Battousai leaves you in small, bite sized pieces."

Sano's mouth curled into a mocking smile. "Because I insulted his pretty little play thing."

_That hurt_. Megumi took a deep breath and laughed her voice harsh. "You know nothing of it and I think it's time you leave."

He stepped closer. "Why," he demanded his tone careless and frosty. "Soujiro is back on his feet, completely healed. We're waiting on Battousai to make an appearance – to see Kaoru, since he decided that we would all be staying _here_. You don't seem to be doing anything important. Why should I leave?"

Megumi pushed everything back into its compartment carelessly, promising herself she would be back to organize it later. Instead she went to move around him. His hand snapped out and caught her wrist. It wasn't a painful hold and it scent little sparks of need flaring down her wrist at the contact. His brown eyes were moody at they met her startled ruby eyes.

"So," Sano said quietly, eyes dark. "You know too."

Megumi jerked out of his hand and left with as much dignity as her retreat allowed and locked herself in her room. She clamped her hands over her ears so she wouldn't have to listen to his footsteps walk away or possibly; his voice telling her to let him in. He was almost her enemy. His animosity towards Battousai was noticeable enough to her and she had no formal training in _ki_ sensing. Now that… Kaoru was here, he would probably be dragging Kaoru around the corners of Japan. That was a relief, but he would demand her where he could keep in contact with her and there was no way she was going to escape him.

Sano…. Sano was the opposite of the nightmare she had learned to live with. He was passionate, hot-headed, reckless, and distracting. Battousai's passion was a cold passion, his movements deliberate to extract that most pain possible from his victims, and she feared him more than she did anything. She had seen the way Kaoru fought against him, both tooth and nail, gift and fang; had seen the way he watched her from his lashes. He had never offered to take her battles, never taught her to fight, and only kept her alive because she was necessary to him.

Now Sano had come along and he…

Megumi pressed her lips together. It wasn't going to happen and she wasn't going to think about it. Sanosuke Sagara would never see her as more than Battousai's 'plaything'  
and she would never attempt to make him see otherwise. Soujiro was healed but they were all waiting to see how Battousai would handle the situation. He did not take betrayal lightly. Shinomori had spent several days reinforcing the Aoiya's wards and checking everyone for mental weaknesses. He was taking Yukishiro's escape personally. Shinomori was the oldest vampire Megumi knew, and while Battousai was death and dangerous; there was little Shinomori didn't know something about.

He and Misao would make a good couple; as good as there kind could be. She didn't hate Misao, even for the scars she still bore. Megumi opened the door and went back to her herbs. If Battousai was as determined to kill Yukishiro and anyone he was connected with, as he had been to destroy Shishio, then there was going to be a lot of dead bodies.

X

Kaoru followed Kenshin back to their current home. She was quiet on the way back, careful to shield her thoughts in that curious shadow that was in her mind. Part of her feared that the shadow had something to do with Kenshin and his endless darkness, but he never turned, never wavered; Kenshin would never offer her the comfort of her thoughts deep in himself.

It had to be something else. She just didn't know what it was. Just that it was quiet and safe from the tremulous backlash of her emotions. That was worth more than anything else that anyone could give her, and since she had found it during the agonizing moments of feeling the girl's death pool in her own lungs, she hid there.

He said not a word as he led them to the bedroom. He didn't pause or say a single word to the woman who opened the door and who closed it behind them. Instead he moved to the window and uttered a word that seemed to echo and the room seemed a bit darker as the shades fell into place. He still didn't look at her as he calmly turned to her. Only once he had pinned her under those moon-glow eyes did he say anything.

"Tell me what happened."

Kaoru stared at him for long moments before she took strength from that quiet shadow.

"I do not want to talk about it." Her voice was soft in the room. Quiet because she didn't fill the room with her words the way he did. Quiet because there was a deathly silence after her spoke declaration.

"Don't want to talk about it," his voice was low with temper and he moved forward, a whisper soft glow of predator silk. "I don't remember giving you a choice about it."

Kaoru's chin rose. "You will not bully me."

Her back hit the wall with enough force to jar her as her teeth clacked together painfully. Once her body recovered from the abrupt change of direction, she had no choice but to meet the darkness in his eyes with her own fire. As always her gift sprang to her command without her thought and his eyes narrowed and she felt as he pulled away his shields, all but the last, leaving her disoriented and dizzy.

"If you wish to use your gift against me, Kaoru," he breathed in her ear, "you're going to have to learn to control it yourself."

It writhed under her skin like a living thing and his grip on her arms tightened a fraction as if something surprised him.

"Now, you will tell me what happened."

Without his control keeping her wild gift tame it reacted violently. The emotions, the sensations of drowning in her own blood, the blackness that reached up to swallow her flared in her blood and pressed into him from their connection. He went still, as if he was unable to move and she struggled against the sensations of an emotional death that had started on the inside of her and rushed into the black-hole that was his gift.

"Stop," he ordered her fiercely, catching her jaw and meeting her eyes with his. "Leave it."

Kaoru felt bile rising in her throat and he shifted the palm of his hands so that they were pressed against her bare skin of her neck. The contact soothed some part of her, but her gift flared at him until she went blind with it, and then it was over. She was standing with her hands pressed into the gap of his gi, her cheek resting against him. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist, holding her up and the other was tangled in her hair. He made no move to tighten his grip or disengage her so she stayed there for a moment, feeling the coolness of his gift cushioning her from the worst of her memory.

"How interesting." With her ear against his chest she could almost feel stable. Her gift was still there, still un-caged, but it seemed to be alright now and wasn't attempting to leap from her skin like a mad, wild thing. "How very interesting. I wonder if you're aware of what you just did."

Kaoru raised her eyes to his face. When she spoke, her voice was raspy. "What are you talking about?"

"Your gift just forced me to re-live the same feelings you had." His voice was calm, thoughtful. "Your gift took the emotion of death, turned it into a living, breathing memory, and you shoved it into me like I was filter."

Kaoru swallowed. "I…"

His fingers came to trace her jaw line and there was an edge in his eyes that could almost have been violence. But he made no move to strike or hurt her. Instead his eyes churned with small sparks of anger – but it didn't feel directed at her.

"It will be interesting to see what else you can do." There was an edge of thoughtfulness there that bothered her. Her gut clenched and his mouth curved into a smile.

The knock on the door was her saving grace.

"Sorry, Master. Your apprentice is here."

Kenshin nodded. His thumb moved across her hip for a moment, eyes watching her face before he stepped away. Kaoru couldn't begin to explain why that look had caused her mouth to run dry. Taking a deep breath, she forced her knees to work and followed.

Soujiro was waiting for them. He had bowed low to Kaoru and then given his report, maintaining his half bow. The wording had been clipped and she had the impression that Soujiro was recovering from sort of chest wound and decided to ask Misao about it later.

"Shinomori has reworked my mental shields." Soujirou said quietly. "It is the thought that it is possible to track Yukishiro through the residue he leaves in the minds of those he controls even for a short period of time. Shinomori would like me to be present during the hunts in the hopes that I might react in some way to a use of his power."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "I have yet to receive a satisfactory report detailing how Yukishiro escaped, leading to the necessity of finding him. Inform Shinomori that I will require a meeting later this afternoon. I have a few things that must be taken care of but we will be residing at the Aoiya for the duration of this hunt."

There was a note of dismissal in his voice and then Soujirou rose from his position and Kaoru caught a fluttering of pain as he straitened and then left. He turned to her and gave her a considering look. She wondered what he was looking for.

"Go get cleaned up. You're staying at the Aoiya tonight with Misao. I don't have the time to teach you to keep up your shields. She is the next best to teach you. When you're ready for me to lower the shields, I am sure you can figure out how to contact me." There was an edge of amusement to his voice and Kaoru had the instinctive thought that in order to contact him, in the way she thought he was suggesting that she was going to have to give something of herself up first.

That was the way it always seemed to be with this vampire.

As she went to bath and change out of the bloody kimono, she wondered if this was how the rest of her life was going to be. She _would_ learn how to control her gift. Then maybe she could have some peace.

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	11. Chapter Eleven

Re-Posted: 11-8-10

* * *

The vampire in front of him was curled into a small ball, limbs bent and broken in ways humans could never survive. The scent of blood was thick in the air and open cuts ran freely. Nothing left of her could have been considered female, if what was left could be considered anything at all.

"Find her."

The words were stern, a lone finger rubbing against the splattering of blood across her back. The artless drops that had scattered with each twist of the whip, each turn of his knife. Her pain bled into his senses like melted chocolate, hot and heady. She tasted of bitterness, anger, agony. The sweetest on his tongue was her helplessness. Her power, the very life she gave his blood.

"Find my little bird." He traced his fingers across the crisscross of bone-white that littered her body. "Bring her back to where she belongs."

The woman whispered her agreement and his nails tightened until they drew blood. Soon, _he_ would falter. _He_ couldn't hide his child in the shadows forever. The moment she reached for that sweet, unattainable sunlight, he would know.

Then…

_Then_…

Then he would break her power to his will; he would have that final piece that had alluded him, that he needed for his plan to be complete. Eyes lidded in pleasure as he stroked the matted hair of the woman in front of him.

X

The Aoiya was filled with loud hustle and bustle of the afternoon rush. The quick, precise movements she supposed came with their ninja training. Kenshin must have been doing one of those tricks of his, because no one looked at them as they entered. It wasn't until they were at the more private rooms that he spoke.

"This is our room for the duration of our stay." Kenshin's voice was mild and he apparently expected her to stay, because he turned to walk by her. "Misao will be by soon."

The house that Kenshin owned was furnished with western luxuries, but this room was strictly Japanese. The tatama mats were familiar under her feet and the futon was rolled carefully in the corner. There was a low writing table with a cushion or two next to it so she could sit on her knees comfortably and the Kimono rack was settled into a corner. The chests for his and her clothing were placed on opposite ends of the third wall and the shoji screen door opened in the back to a well kept little rock garden.

This was the closest she had ever felt in being home at someone else's place.

"I hope you like everything," Misao said suddenly and Kaoru turned to see her perched on the edge of one of the trunks. "It's simple, but I didn't know what you'd like. Himura is fairly easy to please when he wants to be."

Kaoru offered a faint smile. "It's perfect."

"Himura said that he wanted me to teach you to shield," Misao informed her, swinging her feet back and forth. "If you check your trunk, I snagged some of your practice clothes. They would be a bit more comfortable than that lovely Kimono you're wearing."

"Thank you," Kaoru said relieved. It wasn't just that the gi and hakema would be comfortable, but from home. She desperately needed something familiar. "Where do you have in mind for this?"

"I thought you'd be most comfortable in the Dojo." Misao offered with a smile. "Himura usually uses it, so it should be empty currently. We just finished repairs."

"Repairs?"

"Himura doesn't always see a reason to use restraint. Here we are!" Misao said. Kaoru walked into a lovely practice area that had been recently cleaned. It smelled lightly of soap and she admired the way the light came in through the shoji doors and the weapons that lined one wall.

"I guess they haven't gotten everything back inside. Oh well," Misao shrugged and sat down. Her eyes scanned over the equipment leaned up against one of the walls. "I know Himura has been responsible for containing your gift, but I need to know what he has taught you. Have you started working on anything?"

Kaoru shook her head mutely.

Misao sighed. "That was what I was afraid of. From what I have picked up regarding Himura's art – and it isn't much – is that he learned control through his sword style. In order for him to teach you, he would have to teach you Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. We both know how likely that is." Her mouth curved slightly. "At least he asked for help with you even if he will never ask for himself."

Kaoru blinked. "I don't know… are you sure?"

Misao nodded. "Even if he didn't want to deal with it, if he could, he would. He doesn't rely on others easily. Now, enough about this – the first thing you have to learn is how to see your gift. This is important, because your gift appears to be so volatile."

Kaoru chewed her lip. "Is this going to be like the meditation techniques for kendo?"

Misao titled her head. "It's a good comparison. In fact, we should probably go that route. You have years of instincts in that area and it would be best just to redirect them than start all over. Okay, let's get comfortable and then we'll start."

Kaoru shifted her legs and body a bit, until she was in a familiar position and nodded.

"As I said, the first thing you must do is find the center of your gift. I know that sounds odd, but by seeing and understanding how everything appears when you're calm and controlled, you can redirect that energy later. For now, we'll do that through meditation. Later, you shouldn't need to meditate."

Kaoru did as she was told and took several deep breaths until that impeccable resolve, the cool waters in the storm of her raging gift, settled around her. Under Misao's instruction she pulled out and went back 'in' several times, until she could find her center in a matter of seconds once she entered the calmness of the meditation. Under her direction, she worked back out through each layer of power, memorizing the feel of each.

Misao opened her eyes and used her ki sense to look at Kaoru. Himura had left all the shields up and she was loath to bring them down until Kaoru had little bit more stability. Even with the exercises, Kaoru's gift was still flaring wildly against those shields. There was so little actual information about Empath abilities; she had to assume that was normal.

"Alright. You need to practice this several times a day – this is _important_. If you're attacked like with Yukishiro or need to use your gift for something that isn't just passive scanning, knowing your center will ground you." Misao hesitated. "We just don't know much about your gift, Kaoru. Empathy is rare. But what we do know suggests that you're going to need more than just your own grounding."

"What do you mean?"

Misao raked her hands through her hair. "I went through every scroll we have on the subject and they all agree that if something went wrong with your gift, without an external grounding point you might lose control. They don't give a lot of details on how or why. Internal ground is just going to be practice for you – you have the discipline. But we need to find you another way to balance you. It should be something you're already deeply associated with and more importantly, something calm."

Kaoru hesitated and looked. Outside of the feel of her gift, she wasn't certain what Misao was describing. Opening her eyes she gave Misao a frustrated look. Misao tilted her head and sighed.

"I was hoping we could avoid this but… you're going to have ask Himura to remove his outermost shield. It should give you the ability to see without putting too much pressure on your gift."

Kaoru looked at her. "How?"

Misao's brows tucked together. "What you mean…" She rolled her eyes in a way that had Kaoru half-smiling. "I am not surprised. The bond between you should allow you to reach him – no matter what. Until you become familiar with the path, it will be easier if you meditate first. Just picture Himura and think about what you want him to know. I don't know how your gift will translate that to him, but it should work to open the mental link between you. I imagine he knew this would happen and is keeping an eye on you, so to speak."

Kaoru frowned and attempted to do what she was told, falling back into her favorite meditation and picturing Kenshin. It was difficult. It was as if she was trying to talk through water – until she felt him catch the link. She wasn't sure how much of what she needed went through but there was a shifting around her and the emotions of everyone in the Aoiya wavered across her. It was a light brushing, like it had been on the street, but it made her uncomfortable.

The sudden dark damper was welcome.

Misao sighed. "Well damn, now I know why he keeps those shields of yours layered!"

Kaoru's gift had been spiking all over the place, brushing against any _ki_ signature that it was close too. Pursing her lips, she made sure her own shield kept her gift contained in the space around the dojo and grimaced. It was going to be a difficult afternoon.

"Alright. I should be able to keep the worst of the edge. I need you to look again and see what you can find. If we have too, I can expand my shield a little more but I'd prefer not to."

Kaoru frowned. "What am I looking for exactly?"

"Well… when your gift went wild when you were feeding earlier today, what did you do to gain control?"

Kaoru blinked at her, startled that she knew about that. Determined to ask about that later, she shifted uncomfortably. "Kenshin gave me blood."

"He fed you." Misao repeated, brows tucking together. "When you were fighting for control, what happened after he fed you?"

"It was cold and calm," Kaoru said softly. "Why?"

"I think your gift… responds to his. I think he can center you if something were to happen. In fact, if I'm correct, he has already been doing so subconsciously."

"What does that mean?" Kaoru asked.

"I don't know." Misao confessed. "It's never the same for everyone but… if Himura is calming your gift, it makes me wonder what yours does for his. Himura feeds off of life, death is his tool. Everything here is just guess work. I've never heard of an empath bound to someone like Himura."

Kaoru felt her gift shift around her at the feel of Misao's worried _ki_ and tried to understand it. "What do you mean?"

"This is going to be a bit of a challenge, that's all. You said that Kenshin's gift calmed yours? How hard is it to find him that way?"

Kaoru looked away. "It's not hard."

Misao blinked. "Huh… I didn't realize you were so closely connected. That certainly makes things easier. Can you reach for it now?"

Kaoru swallowed a bit and then searched inside herself for that bit of darkness that opened for her when she needed it. For a moment, she let it wash over her, somehow comforted. After a moment, she eased out and opened her eyes. Her expression was openly curious.

"Well this certainly makes things easier." She licked her lips and suddenly the shield expanded around the room so that the colors seemed dimmer, like they were attempting to move through shadow.

"What I need you to do is to let go." Misao said finally. "You're certain you can find Himura when you need him?" At Kaoru's nod, she took another deep breath. "Alright, then let's go."

Misao rocked back on her heels as the wild tumbling of Kaoru's _ki_ swept the room. Himura must have been paying attention because suddenly all of the shields separating Kaoru from the world dropped. Kaoru went a little pale and Misao didn't blame her. Her shields should have been preventing her from being able to feel anyone outside of herself but she wasn't the most emotionally stable person to do this with.

'_Damn you Himura…_' Misao thought violently as she watched Kaoru struggle.

Then Misao hit her with a wallop of shadow. Kaoru's _ki_ was suddenly wrapped around her in a multicolored wave of protection and Misao nodded. "Next time I do that, find your center immediately."

Kaoru looked a little unsure but nodded gamely.

The next time she pushed, the pieces of _ki_ wrapped around her a moment quicker. The years spent in kendo were serving her well here, as her body and _ki_ had been disciplined before her gift had burst free and it was following those paths of obedience now.

"Alright," Misao cheered. "Now that you know what is coming, we are going to work on your controlling those bursts of ki so that they protect you all the time. Once we have that down, you can start building shields to supplement Himura's work. "

Kaoru nodded even as sweat beaded at her temples. She understood what Misao was thinking, but the exact steps behind the moves were not so clear. Keeping a firm grip on her gift, she reached for that part of her that was somehow Kenshin. The wildness around her shivered at the sudden influx of calm and for a moment, everything seemed to settle.

With a gasp she lost her grip on both and somehow ended up staring at the ceiling with her _ki_ wildly spinning.

"You were close!" Misao's voice encouraged. "Try it again!"

X

Kaoru pulled herself out of the hot bath with a bit of a groan. She felt like she had stepped into a kendo match without her bokken and been beaten like a beginner. Every muscle physically _hurt_. Once she was brushed and braided, she all but stumbled to the futon that someone had laid out for her. Crawling under the covers she laid there for some time thinking. Misao was quite impressed with her progress and had told her that by the end of the week she should be able to pull together a basic shield. Kaoru was fine and well pleased by that, but the week was such a long time away. She had been so tired that she hadn't even noticed when Kenshin's shields returned.

It was Misao's sudden relief that had tipped her off. Kaoru had discovered the more that she worked with her gift; the less happy it was to be shoved back under a shield. Even with Kenshin's shield keeping it in check it was writhing just under her skin, alive and searching out for holes so that it could test and change and turn and writhe along whatever it chose. Misao's expression had been tense all afternoon, and remembering what she had done to Jineh, Kaoru was certain she was keeping both of them safe.

Misao had stressed that it was only when she managed to work with her gift so that it was willing to work itself into shields that she would be able to start letting tendrils out to explore on a controlled basis on her own. She was going to have to learn to live with her gift, because it wasn't going to let her bury it again.

Then there was the matter of feeding. Misao guessed that part of her problem was that she wasn't able to block feeling the death of her victims. While it was true that Kenshin's ki was based on death, Misao guessed that was balanced against Kenshin's life-_ki_. Kaoru was uncertain how she should feel about the fact that his ki twisted around hers in the way that it did when Kenshin was so… conflicting in how he responded to her.

All she knew was that she was bone-tired and hungry. Misao had some blood sent up and she had choked it down, but feeding like that wouldn't work for long. Even when she mixed that with a real meal of human food, she knew she was going to have to feed within the next few days or risk being too tired to control her gift. Any gift that got away was dangerous, and hers could easily destroy and twist around itself until there was nothing left of her original _ki_ pattern.

X

"He is leading us on a goose-chase," Kenshin said tightly as he stood in the middle of the carnage. He hardly noticed his gift siphoning off the reaming bits of death-_ki_, and ignored the pale looks Aoshi's men were giving him. "I don't like it."

Aoshi's report had confirmed that there had to be another player involved in the recent events. He had managed to link Jineh back to Yukishiro once he had known to look for those connections. So far they were still tracking were Yukishiro had spent the last ten years but from what Aoshi had described of his sword style, it was likely that it had been outside of Japan.

"It is becoming clear that someone is hiding him." He turned his gaze back to the man who lay incapacitated at their feet. "Tell us who Yukishiro is working for."

The man gave a gurgling laugh. He was missing a section of his stomach the size of Kenshin's fist. "You will never stop them! It is too late!" He coughed, blood flecking off his lips before he went still.

"I suppose that is the most we can expect," Aoshi said.

Kenshin frowned for a moment before shaking himself.

"Hiko will be here in three days. I imagine he will have something to say about how he feels this operation is being run. He has also expressed his desire to meet Kaoru and doesn't trust me to bring her up the mountain in one piece."

Kenshin paused, his expression considering before he finally spoke. "Put Soujirou back on the hunt. I do not have time to run down every lead generate by your clan; I hope I have made it clear that if there is another mistake by either of you on this hunt, you will not live to regret it?"

Aoshi remained silent and Kenshin stepped around a motionless body. "How is Makimachi holding up?"

Aoshi glanced at him, the air turning frigid. "She is fine."

Kenshin shrugged and sheathed his sword. His eye flickering around the room, making sure they had not forgotten anything. "Three days of dealing with Karou's gift should leave her nice and vulnerable for you."

There was ice in the air turned even colder.

"Is that what you suggest I do?" Aoshi's voice was mild and Kenshin turned and gave him a hard glare.

"I suggest that you do whatever is necessary to keep from being distracted during this hunt. Someone is pulling strings for a purpose we haven't even found a hint of yet. I have no desire to allow this to become as out of control as the last time." His voice was ice and heat. "I am sure you remember the price you were forced to pay?"

Aoshi said nothing for a long moment. "They might go after yours."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "They shouldn't know of her presence. I suggest you send word to the little onimitsu that anything that happens to Kaoru will be taken out of her blood. We have another stop to make before we head back and I do not think that we should keep our host waiting."

X

Kaoru looked around, her stomach uneasy as she stood in the middle of the market. "I don't know, Misao. The last time we tried this…"

Misao shook her head. "I know. To be honest, I really don't want to try anything like that without Himura here to guide you back. What I am hoping to do is see what sort of limits you have and then I can hunt and feed us both. Although you should know, doing so will form a bond between us until Himura feeds you again."

Kaoru looked at her. "Is that a big deal?"

Misao bounced on her heels for a moment. "Well, to be honest, there isn't any sort of code or rules for it. The most important thing is that you never take blood from a male. You're taken and Himura would take that as a direct breech of your bond and things would get messy. I'm female, so while Himura won't _like_ it, he won't mind it nearly as much. You _do_ need fresh blood.

"But the reason people are so careful about blood sharing is you exchange small pieces of _ki_. With as often as Himura has shared with you, it's no wonder why you carry around a piece of his _ki_ with you. Although, it might also have to do with you changing over from a Halfling… be very, very thankful that you never tasted Jineh's blood."

Kaoru frowned. "Would that have been bad?"

Misao shrugged. "Jineh was clearly insane, and insanity for vampires is a sort of disease. If it's going to be passed on, it's going to be passed through the blood. I am going to guess that Himura – or his shishou – would have been able to burn it out of your blood but I don't know that for sure. It a touchy subject. Perhaps one day we will know more."

Kaoru frowned, her eyes scanning the market. "His master?"

"He hasn't mentioned Hiko yet?" Her voice was amused. "It's a long and complicated story, but as far as I know, Hiko took Himura in when he was very young. Sort of how Himura took in Soujiro, but it's a bit different. No one knows if Kenshin was born vampire or changed, and to be honest, it doesn't matter. Hiko is the undisputed leader of the Vampire sects. It's full of political background and some of it I don't have clear details on. Himura follows Hiko's orders and no one else's; although I hear he did a fine job of pretending otherwise during the Bakumatsu."

Her eyes turned distant and slightly sad.

"Everything changed then and when they started searching for the traitors… there is a reason Himura is as powerful as he is. And he is still very young by our standards. It makes you important as well and not just because you're an Empath."

Kaoru frowned and picked at her obi. "I think I liked things better when I was human."

Misao gave her a sympathetic look. "But you were never human, were you?" She sighed at the expression that crossed Kaoru's eyes. Kaoru was going to have to deal with that sooner or later, but it had been a difficult couple of weeks for her so she let it go.

"What we need to do is practice your attempts to shield without Himura shielding you. I want you to be able to tell me what is going on. You need to be able to use your gift at will. It _wants_ to read people for you. Let it. Just learn to communicate to it how much information you want. It's part of you Kaoru, just like kendo. Use it like you would your bokken."

Kaoru blinked at her. "You want me to attack people with my gift?"

Misao shrugged. "No, but think of it this way. A sword is a single slash. That's what you want to make your _ki_ hone into. It won't be so difficult to learn how expand it, then you just have to learn how to _control_ it," she waved her hands around. "Just have Himura lower your shields a bit, will you? The practice will do you good."

Kaoru muttered under her breath, reaching for Kenshin in the signal she had developed with him over the past few days. He dropped the shields and emotion swept over her. Small annoyances and displeasures washed over her. Misao was watching her face intently and Kaoru took a deep breath. They had learned quickly that it was impossible to work against the first layer of people's emotions. Most of likes and dislikes were habits and people easily noticed if they were affected. For some reason, the deeper emotions in the psyche were easier to manipulate. They hadn't figured out why yet, but they were trying.

Kaoru licked her lips and struggled against the rising tide that dragged at her. Lust and human love, and all the other emotions that were manipulated by things outside of them crushed against her. Biting her lower lip, she was careful with her fangs. It was another side effect Misao had to explain to her, that when she used her gift; her fangs were likely to become visible. People who had a lot of control over their gifts like Shinomori and Kenshin were more likely to not show there fangs but it would be years before she managed it.

Until then, she was in constant fear of piercing her own bottom lip.

Kaoru worked until she was dizzy. Sitting down she breathed deeply through her nose and looked up at Misao. The girl was offering her a wrist and Kaoru closed her eyes. "Its freely given Kaoru, there are no catches. Please, take it. Himura will kill me if you faint."

Kaoru sunk her fangs in, her stomach trembling. However, the blood was hot and fresh and tasted good. Closing her eyes to keep from screaming, she sucked until she just couldn't anymore and pulled away. Misao brought her wrist to her mouth and licked it dry. "It will get easier, Kaoru."

Kaoru swallowed, attempting to ignore the taste of Misao's blood on her tongue. It was different than Kenshin. Where he was rich and full on her tongue, Misao had a hint of spice and shadow. Curling into herself a bit she pressed her nails into her thigh.

"I find that hard to believe." She raised bright eyes to her face and Misao nodded.

"I know. But what else can you do?"

X

The woman stood there, her eyes flat on the ground. "I am sure, sir."

There was a giggle. "So close…the Master will be so proud. He does want his little pet. Come with me, and we shall gather her to our fold." He tilted her chin with rough fingers, forcing her to absorb his erratic _ki_, drinking in her taste with a smile. "Once we have her, Master's collection will be complete. Then, we shall rise as the rest of the vampires fall at our feet!"

The woman shivered and kept a careful grasp on the feeling of her blood running in her veins. She could not let the girl escape. Not this time. Then, perhaps, her Master would find someone else to love.

X

Kaoru licked her bottom lip, nibbling on the sensitive skin as she stood there. Misao was perfectly relaxed as they hid in the shadows, examining people. In fact, Misao was having a great deal of fun pointing things out and guessing emotions and having Kaoru confirm them. However, she seemed to be picking up on her unease.

"Kaoru," Misao asked, unsure. "Is something wrong?"

Kaoru tilted her head, attempting to figure where her feelings were being generated from. It was sizzling along her stomach lining, as if something was getting closer that shouldn't be there. It had been bothering her ever since she had dropped her shields, but it was getting worse the later the afternoon became.

"I don't know," Kaoru confessed, feeling for the bond between her and Kenshin almost before she realized what she was doing. It was cool and slick, like it had been since she started her training. She knew part of it was so she was forced to learn on her own, but suddenly she wished she knew how to breech it. When she realized what she was thinking she stilled and shook herself. That sort of thinking was not going to get her anywhere. She did not need to rely on Kenshin.

"There is something out there and it's getting closer," Kaoru told her friend softly. Her eyes kept scattering around the road and Misao grabbed her hand took her a bit deeper into the shadows for camouflage.

"I can't feel it but that doesn't mean anything. It could be your feeling the intent of someone to hurt someone else." Misao offered her eyes muted as she watched her carefully. "Does it feel like that?"

Kaoru shook her head. "No, and it doesn't feel like my gift at all. It's different." She clenched her hands, feeling edgy as she attempted to locate the reason. Looking at Misao she swallowed. "I think we should head back to the Aoiya."

Misao nodded. "That won't be hard, we just…"

Misao stopped short, her eyes widening before she stumbled forward in an uncharacteristic lack of grace. Kaoru spun around and felt her stomach drop to her feet.

The woman was covered in fine lines, white like bone, from the expanse of her broad forehead down into her raggedly covered body. Even the tips of her fingers were marked, as if she was used to digging her nails into wood. Her eyes were dull and the left pupil seemed to be bleeding. Her hair was long and short, as if someone had ripped great tufts of hair out; fine scratches that were still bleeding ran down her cheeks.

Kaoru's eyes swung from the… woman to the grinning man behind her and her gift swelled and churned behind the barriers she was barley containing. Misao …her eyes swung to Misao and she swallowed hard. It was like that time with Jineh. Everything felt wrong. Misao wasn't moving, so Kaoru supposed the woman knew… Her eyes widened in alarm.

"What did you do to Misao?"

The woman smiled, showing off broken teeth and bleeding gums. She didn't answer; it was the man behind her. "Finally! Who would have thought that you would have managed to keep away from Master for so long? Bind her."

She felt the surge of power and felt her gift respond. The little creature that was bent over from her waist as if she couldn't quite rise made a noise and something flickered in her eyes. Kaoru felt sick and she let her weak barriers drop. Misao's state hit her like a slap and she actually stumbled backwards from it. The man in front of her sung with greed, lust and a need for blood that was almost overpowering. There was something off with their _ki_ as well, as if they had been tampered with. Her own gift fought and surged within her and she attempted to control it.

_Kaoru felt threatened_.

Instinct warned her that if she did this, something bad would happen. Even with that hint of knowledge, the woman rose up, her eyes pink around her pupil, and she screeched. Kaoru felt something sucking at her and Misao made a faint noise of pain and Kaoru shuddered. For a moment she couldn't feel, for a moment she had no ability to touch anything. Inky cords of something slid around her.

"You have her?" He asked, smile sharp. "Good. Once we contain her then we can kill this one, although what you did to her is going to be more than enough to leave her all but dead for the rest of her life. We leave her as a warning to that Okashira of hers."

Kaoru felt cold settle around her and she relished it. Inside her, her own power writhed. Swallowing she allowed herself to fall back into the darkness Misao had told her to find and she let go. Heat rushed through her, burning away the cold for a moment, and then it was gone. Her _ki_ expanded and it ate away at the bonds wrapping around her, and the woman screamed. Kaoru gritted her teeth and she reached for Misao, only to be rejected by another black cloud of oily-_ki_. Turning her eyes back to the woman, she physically recoiled at the sight of her.

Her _ki_ was in tatters. Like someone had taken a blade and cut stripes out of it. The rest of her _ki_ reacted badly to itself and seemed to almost be feeding off Misao's _ki_. Kaoru narrowed her eyes and tried to remember what Misao had taught her on directing _ki_ battles. Taking a deep breathed she reached and shoved her _ki_ at the stuff clinging to Misao. There was a horrible retching sensation. It was like something inside her was being twisted, pulled inside her and expanded into more than her body could handle. Attempting to ignore the sensation that filled and pulled at her, she continued to fight. She wanted to scream when she realized that even after she pulled whatever was attacking Misao off her, what was left behind was severely damaged.

The woman snarled and Kaoru felt the force of her hatred come rolling back at her. That stretching, sickening sensation continued, and Kaoru struggled to gain the upper hand. She had no idea how long they battled, but she was aware of sinking into the depth of Kenshin's gift. Her body around her burned and ached and pain seared through her like hot flashes of fire and she struggled to keep from screaming. Desperately, she looked at the woman in front of her. There were two or three bright threads that seemed to be pulsing to the beat of something. Reaching out Kaoru pulled the same way she had with Jineh and felt the sucking sensation stop.

Fire exploded through her body. Her knees gave out and Kaoru felt everything expand and wretch. There was shouting going on outside of her mind and there was screaming, continuous screaming, that followed her into the darkness she sank into. It felt like her insides were being pulled inch by inch out of her body. Her gift ran wild, ripping through her with in agonizing waves. Her last memory was of hands grasping her shoulders as she was shaken, spittle flashing across her face, but she ignored it. Instead she fled the agony and curled into ball where it was safe.

X

Kenshin frowned. Narrowing his eyes he searched around him. Something was wrong. He ignored Omatsu and instead narrowed his eyes, searching out the pathways that were running along his blood.

"Be quite."

Silence was immediate.

Kenshin focused inward and he scanned the path to his mate.

His eyes narrowed.

Opening the path he had closed for her training, his body went predator still. Those around him watched in surprise as his lips pulled back in a snarl as his face contorted into a fury they had rarely seen. There was a shifting and then there was a blur. Omatsu turned and ran into the kitchen, her eyes wide.

"Shinomori-sama! Something happened to Misao and Kaoru!"

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	12. Chapter Twelve

Re-Posted: 11-9-10

Thank you to **LordRandallsLady** for assisting with the editing of the re-written story. None of these chapters would have been posted without her.

* * *

He stood there, watching as both empaths fell to the ground. Disbelief left him immobile for long minutes and he kicked the corpse of the woman next to him. Her stupidity might have cost them their hunt. Nervously, he glanced around before moving quickly to the real reason he was there.

"Master will be dis_pleased_." He whispered. Twitching at the thought, he picked her up and considered cutting the throat of the Oniwabanshu-vampire. It didn't matter as long as he had his one to take home.

To lose two in one day…

X

He could feel her. With the link between them as open as he dared with his battle-ki raging, the world had narrowed to a blur of gray color as he raced down the paths of Kyoto. He could still taste the lingering echo of her scream along the back of his tongue, could still feel that all encompassing agony that had danced along his nerves, then the _silence_.

Her scent was stronger here and he paused at the beginning of a narrow alley and took in the scene. There was only one man and he was picking up Kaoru's unconscious body as if he had a right to her. The only other vampires in the alley were the crumpled body of a broken woman and the motionless Misao.

It was clear that Kaoru had done something here – the air tasted of her. Locking that information away – as well as the erratic cries of the man daring to touch her – he drew his sword. He wished he had time to make him burn and scream, but the blood ran hot along the blade of his sword and for now, that was enough. As it was he, only had time to let him know who killed him, to feel the pain of his own death before he splattered him along the walls. Humans would avoid this area for months uncertain why, but terrified of the death-_ki_ that echoed in the darkness.

Pausing, he carefully looked around, making sure there was nothing alive that could come out once he had took Kaoru with him. Carefully, he brought his blade to his lips and ran his tongue over the iron, tasting the blood of the dead. Someone or something had tainted these two. Flicking the blood from his blade with an easily preformed _chibur, _he committed the taint to memory, rolling it across his tongue. His gift easily broke down the taint and memorized it, dissolving its effect.

Kaoru's hair was feathered around her and he reached out and touched her pale cheek, looking for some sign of her of her _ki_. Swearing, he dropped to his knees, scanning her body for some physical injury. He peeled back one of her lids to her check her eyes. Her pupils were dilated so wide her eyes were black with only the faintest ring of navy around the edges. Her skin was pale and fine tremors were starting to shake her body. He swore again when switched views, examining her _ki_.

Her ki was twisting into and around itself, as if its center had been completely destroyed by a direct push of power. There was nothing to buffer her gift from her _ki_. Her capacity for maintaining control was gone and if she didn't regain control, she would die. Kenshin gathered her into his arms and stood. He needed to get her back to the Aoiya. He needed quiet and wards to fix this.

Turning he looked over at Misao and took in her _ki_ as well. Her core wasn't as corrupted as Kaoru's, but she wasn't doing well. Baring his teeth in frustration he tossed a shield over her unconscious body. It would protect her from any outside influence until Aoshi was able to trace the beacon he worked into the in the shielding.

The Aoiya was filled with worried voices and familiar _ki_. Pausing, he faced his Shishou standing casually in the doorway that led to the eating rooms. The expression on his face conveyed his disapproval and Kenshin's tightened his grip on Kaoru before moving down the hall to their rooms.

Already he could feel Kaoru attempting to burrow deeper away from the pain; snarling he kicked open the shoji in a surge of fury. Her pain was eating at his insides and his instincts demanded that he hunt down the source of her pain and destroy it. Gritting his teeth – he _would not_ be ruled by this – he curled his fingers into fists even as he hunted down the _ki_ signature he wanted. Feeling the edge to Aoshi's usually calm _ki_, he shoved through that first layer of shields brutally and pushed the location of Misao into his mind and then broke the connection.

It took only a moment to kick the futon open and settle Kaoru before stripping her skin of the _ki_ tainted clothing and then removing his own bloodstained garments. The part of him that wasn't searching for any physical signs of her pain was building the shields around the room, blocking out everything until the room was near-black with power.

He was the only one allowed close enough to hurt her.

Now the only thing Kaoru would have to contend with was him.

There was no sign of her fight on her skin. Sitting close enough to feel her skin against his, he reached for his wakazashi and sliced deep into his wrist before he tilted her head upwards and pressed her lips to his wrist. Blood pooled and spilled down the skin her throat, only a little sliding between her lips.

_The pain was so hot she couldn't breathe through it. It cut through her, her power leaving behind ribbons of paper thin slices that went deep. Everything hurt and she wanted to return to that cold, icy place she remembered from before. Gathering her waning energy, she shoved at the fire in her body, but it shoved back. She could feel something else building in her muscles – it was gathering the wild strands of power and forcing them back together. It hurt more than anything she had ever felt. _

_She huddled in her mind; clinging to the icy oblivion that tried to escape her. Agony ripped at her and she fled - even as the raging emotion chased her. Whimpering, she only stopped when she found that welcome, familiar darkness that wrapped around her like a blanket. The air was like ice against her chest, but it eased the pain enough that she could _think_. Curling up tightly, she shook. She just wanted it to end. _

_Then the darkness was swept away and she was running. _

_Just as she felt that she had reached her end, unwilling to face anymore of the bone-deep agony, the faintest tendrils of darkness would curl around her. It was dangerous too – but she welcomed the relief. She just wanted it to end._

Kenshin narrowed his eyes as Kaoru's body stopped shaking, limp against his fingers. The blood dribbling into her mouth wasn't enough to form a link and he growled in the back of his throat, fingers curling into her skin.

"Kaoru," her name was terse as he searched for that link between them. It had become easy to slip between their minds, to ease the instincts that demanded to know how she felt away from him after that first time she reached for him. Her gift bit at him, burning through those questioning searches.

Pulling back, he stared down at her pale face.

X

Megumi finished placing the last of her herbs she would need into her small bag. It had been one of the first and only things Kenshin had bought her. He had grown tired of waiting for her to locate the necessary herbs and simply shown up with it. It had come with a warning of course. Now that she had the bag, she would have no excuses not to be prepared. Opening the door, her fingers clutched tightly at the bound leather in her hands. Dropping her eyes, she bowed.

"I see that you are still in one piece," Hiko commented as he moved aside to let her pass. "It seems he is capable of not breaking everything he touches."

Megumi kept her eyes on the floor until the last of his footsteps faded. Megumi swallowed hard and shivered. It was amazing, the amount of power he hid behind that arrogance and sake jar. She would never forget how dangerous that power was or the respect Battousai showed him. He might bristle when the insults flew, but he paid attention. Megumi had no idea what Hiko had done to earn his loyalty, but it was a strong, violent thing.

Shaking off her daze, she moved down the hall; determined to finish what she was going to start. She almost faltered at the door, taking in both Shinomori and Sanosuke's tight expressions. Her own stomach lurched when she saw the condition of Misao.

She may have hated the elder vampire, but her life depended on her ability to heal.

"Move," Megumi ordered as she brushed pass Sano. The pervasive smell of his skin was distracting as he shifted over to allow her near her patient. He smelled like sweat and musk and there was the faint herbal scent from whatever soap he preferred. Biting the inside of her lip, she managed to distract herself and began to examine Misao.

There were faint scrapes on her hands; an area that looked like it had been healed from a bite wound. There were dark bruises on her buttocks and back from where she had fallen but that was it. There were no damaging physical wounds, nothing she could heal. She was too young to correctly sense _ki_ since it wasn't ingrained with her gift so she didn't try. Sitting back on her heels, she was suddenly aware of the beads of sweat clinging to her temples and rolling down the back of her neck. She hadn't realized she had been concentrating that hard.

"There is nothing I can do for her."

She didn't look at Shinomori or Sano. There was a pause as something violent filled the room. Swallowing back her fear, she took a deep breath and tried not notice the way Sano was watching her with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"Her wounds are not physical." Megumi said firmly. "I can do nothing."

She lifted her head and met Shinomori's dark gaze. "Kaoru perhaps could have aided but now…" She shook her head. They were all silent as they contemplated the dark that had been wrapped tightly around the room where Battousai was with his mate.

X

Kenshin considered what was left of the room and fisted his hands. Ripping apart the chests had given the rage in his body an outlet but it did nothing for her. Snapping his teeth, he breathed deeply and walked back into his room. His wall of power had extended to contain the entire upper floor and he stood in the door way watching her lie so perfectly still.

He wouldn't let her take the easy way out.

Moving towards the futon, he settled himself on his knees in front of her; brought his wrist to his mouth and re-tore the gash with his own teeth. Reaching down, he braced her neck and lifted her limp body against his chest.

"Kaoru you must drink," he said firmly, putting power into his words. Still she failed to respond. There was no movement. Her lips were pale, almost bloodless and the red of his blood dripping down her skin was an almost violent contrast.

His grasp on her was slim and he could feel her crawling deeper inside herself. Besides the raging storm of her _ki_ and the backlash of what had happened to her, there was nothing. His instincts tightened into a knot in his chest. If she did not let him in soon she would die.

He would destroy _everything_ in his path.

"Kaoru," he rasped, his voice not quite his own. "You _will_ feed."

Again, nothing.

Burying his head into her hair he breathed in the scent of darkness rising in her ki and shoved it back. She was his. He would not let go lightly.

"Kaoru," he cajoled, taking in her feel, her scent. "Please swallow. If you go, I will destroy _everything_ before I find you again."

Her lips stirred and he pressed his advantage. Ignoring the sting of her raging _ki_, he fiercely took control of the little nudge she had given him, forcing her to drink. She took two small mouthfuls before she shuddered and her gift came roaring out, forcing him back. He hissed between his teeth when he discovered his blood had little effect besides stabilizing her _ki_.

"You will not do this, Kaoru." He warned her tightly. He needed to lower her guards somehow… her gift would push at him, but it could not truly harm him. He considered that. Her instincts would be in control and this past week had attuned her mind to his.

"Kaoru you _will_ come back to me," he murmured, using his fury as a weapon to fight against the wall she was attempting to build between her gift and herself, blocking him as well. Kaoru wasn't in control anymore. That was fine. Her gift demanded touch, wanted affection he had been denying her. Leaning down, he brushed a serious of kisses along her jaw, scraping his teeth against her throat. As his tongue feathered out against the soft skin of her throat, he felt another miniscule shift.

"There you are," he breathed, letting his hands warm her skin. She made a faint, barely there noise as he tasted the skin along her collarbones. Her gift danced wildly along his skin and he paused, pushing back the temptation it offered him. Brushing his nose along her jaw, he felt the faintest brush of awareness in her mind. Grabbing that bit of her, he held on and refused to let go, following the path it gave him. He traced it back to its source and the surprise he felt rocked back to the surface.

For a moment, he watched her; absorbing the knowledge even as she echoed her pain along their bond. Tilting his head, he brushed his lips along her jaw as he spoke.

"You have no place to hide from me."

_The smell of salt was a stark counterpoint to the hot flame of ginger and darkness. The agony rolled back and forth until she thought she would die with it. Then something began to gather bits of pain to it, soothing the worst edges of hurt. She felt a brush of fangs against her body and she flinched, feeling the slow touch try to call her back. She clung to the darkness. She would not return there. Not to the pain and death – to the endless hurts that ate her alive. _

_Shoving herself to her knees, she escaped the grasping tendrils of heat and fled into the darkness, her throat raw. Had she been crying? Paper fine shards of hot wire were chasing her, lashing at her legs and ankles. The pain couldn't follow forever. Darkness brushed against her and she wept._

Kenshin settled himself along Karou's body. His legs wrapped around hers and his nose settled in the hollow of her neck and shoulder, his tongue flicking out to taste her pulse. Biting down he carefully took a mouthful of her blood before licking her wounds closed.

"How very clever," he told her, breathing in the scent of her skin. He wrapped his body around her, caging her even as he ki worked in the cracks and chased her. "But I _will_ win."

He plunged into her gift, shattering the faint shield it had made against him and chased her, welcoming the darkness of his own gift and opening his mental eyes only when he had firmly locked himself around her.

Opening his 'eyes,' he was unsurprised to see that it had chosen a mental landscape for this confrontation. He could feel the burn and bite of her ki and gift as he forced them apart and he frowned. "Come out and play, Kaoru."

A dojo materialized and she was inside, bokken held firmly in her hands as she watched him from behind her bangs. There was silence between them and he took the first step forward.

"Kaoru," he cajoled, using his voice as a weapon. "Come here."

She very deliberately set her heels and did not answer.

His temper was just below the skin and he did his best to control it. However, his determination to take her back was razor sharp and she didn't stand a chance. He knew she would fight him, but he refused to allow her to win. "Kaoru, _come_ _here_."

She blew her bangs away from her face and something violent flared in her eyes. His instincts shifted in warning and he tilted his head. "Kaoru, I am here to take you back."

He kept his voice firm but softened the edges. Instead of answering him her weight shifted and she swung the bokken at him. Ducking, brows lifted into his hairline, he scowled at her when he lifted his head. Her next swipe was quicker and it drove painfully into his hip. Reaching down, he pulled it out of her hands – unsurprised when just as quickly, she had another. Dreamscapes were unpredictable but he wouldn't be able to unarm her for long unless he managed to pin her.

"I'm _not_ going back with you," she said flatly, chin raised.

"Is that so?" He kept his tone even, for the first time, allowing his instincts to guide him where she was concerned. Her eyes flashed at him.

"I am happy here. _Go away_."

Again, he eased forward, trusting that niggling instinct in his chest. "I will not. You are mine."

"I'm _not_ yours."

He snorted, unable to help himself. "You are."

"Is that all this is to you?" Kaoru demanded suddenly, her eyes wary. "Only a possession? A thing to own? Well, I will not go back to that! _I won't_!"

Kenshin considered her for long moments. Part of him was pushing to just take her, force her to his will but another part, the part that had brought him here was uneasy with the hurt and vulnerability behind her eyes. He had a choice to make.

"I wouldn't chase a mere possession Kaoru."

This time she snorted, broom clutched tightly between her fingers. "Liar."

His mate was an empath. He could push her, force her to bend but it would break something that was already close to shattering. Gritting his teeth, he hissed out a breath. If he wanted to walk away from this in one piece – if he wanted _her_ to do the same – then he was going to have to do what he had been determined _not to_. Frustration mingled with exasperation, he opened himself completely to the bond between them, felt her gift whip at it even as her expression tightened in surprise.

"Have you thought about what will happen to the others if you die?" Kenshin asked. "The darkness I will unleash on Kyoto, Tokyo and all of Japan will be difficult to stop. Perhaps Shishou _could _stop me, but he would have to catch me early; because I will rip this country apart. Not because you are a possession, Kaoru, but because you are _mine_."

"Is there so much of a difference?" Kaoru ground out, but she looked uncertain and he let her feel his rage and possessiveness. She was trembling now, the pain of her body pushing her past what she could handle and he curled his fingers into fists. He was running around of time.

"Oh yes," he told her, gentling his voice for her as he would for no one else. "You belong to me. You're my _mate_, Kaoru. I fight for you. I will fight your battles." He shrugged. "I won't let you go."

She shook her head. "I won't be…"

Her back hit the wall behind her and she found Kenshin's mouth pressing against hers hard. She struggled against him and he bit her lip. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. The sudden swell of emotion was painful and she couldn't look away.

"I. Will. Not. _Lose_. _You_. Do you understand? You _will_ come back with me." He shook her lightly, letting his desperation turn his voice raw. "I will not go back without you."

He felt the faintest softening towards him and he didn't give her time to argue. Instead, he wrapped himself firmly around her and pulled them both out of the dreamscape. She was caught off balance and even as she screamed her protest, he managed to dislodge her; they both crashed back into their bodies. Kenshin buried himself against her neck and fought to hang on, ignoring the way her gift and _ki_ raged against him. Fiercely, he used the blood he had given her; forced his power into a cocoon around her mind, cushioning her from the pain that might break her. He held on until his own ki was bruised and battered.

A sobbing, pain filled moan was the first sign that it had worked.

He crooned in her ear, gentling the hold he had on her arms. She made a faint, mewling noise of disbelief and then she buried her face in his shoulder, screaming. Her nails bit into his back and he had to fight to hold her to his body. She writhed and twisted against him and tears dripped down her face. He set his teeth and held her.

"Ken…" she struggled. "Let go…" she sobbed and her gift roared to life. Kenshin kept his teeth clenched as he fought, keeping her in place and setting up the walls that would keep her _ki _and gift separated so they would stop eating at each other.

"I won't," he rasped. He had _made_ his decision. He met her eyes and stared at the tears that were welling and falling down her face. Leaning forward he kissed her cheeks dry, something shifting inside him at the taste of her tears.

"I won't let you go, not now, not ever. You're mine, Kaoru and I _will_ keep you." He made a low, purring noise in the back of his throat when she arched again as her _ki_ and gift fought each other. "It will be alright."

"It hurts," she whimpered, closing her eyes. "Just let me go."

Kenshin breathed deeply before shaking his head. "I cannot. I am your mate Kaoru. You are mine," he licked at the remains of his blood from her chin and throat. "You are mine." He looked up at her and met her eyes squarely. "You will not leave me."

She shuddered as he shifted them as she gave a sudden mewling cry of relief, his gift finally managing to rebuild the wall between her gift and _ki_. She would be sore and hurting but driving pain would end. He had her settled so that she could rest against his chest and she laid against him, worn out.

"Why did you come for me?" Kaoru asked weakly.

Kenshin tangled his fingers in her hair and considered her words for a long time. He could brush this off, but she would feel it. The softening that had started on the train to Kyoto was there in his chest and he sighed.

"I may not have liked the idea, but we are bound together. I have made my choice."

Kaoru swallowed at the resignation she could hear, tempered only by the softness of his voice. She was startled when he pressed his cheek against the top of her head.

"I wonder," Kenshin tiredly questioned. "If you are worth all the trouble you bring me?"

The sudden exhaustion stunned her as she realized how difficult it must have been for him to hold her. The glide of his fingers down her back was almost affectionate and she closed her eyes.

"It hurts," she whispered against his throat.

"I know." There was something in his tone and then he settled her firmly against his shoulder and the blankets were tucked around her. He sighed tiredly and she felt his power wrap around her, the cold darkness a balm to her pain. Her body clung to his, searching for any sort of reprieve and the lips pressed against her temple curved.

"Ah," he murmured. Darkness crashed over her and Kaoru whimpered in relief she went under.

Kenshin watched her melt against him. Closing his eyes, he gave into the instincts that demanded he hold her. He had said that no one else was allowed close enough to hurt her. He wondered how he was going to deal with what was between them now that he had allowed his instincts free – instincts that would not let anyone, _himself_ included, hurt her this way again.

Lazily, he examined her ki, taking in the way it moved. Her body had given into his push easily, but he would need his own rest. He had spent a lot of energy rebuilding her core and he felt the energy drain pulling at him. He could feel the occupants of the Aoiya lurking outside the doors. Settling himself down for his own rest, he forced the shields even higher and slept.

X

Aoshi sat next to Misao's futon and watched her. He had no idea what she could be going through, but the faint trail of tears that leaked from the corner of her eyes told him how painful it was. Leaning forward, he wiped at the corner of her eyes.

He had to believe Himura would bring Kamiya back. It was Misao's only chance. Himura had not reappeared in the hours since he had returned with Kamiya and it was impossible to tell what was happening through the thickness of the shields Himura had wrapped around the room. A chill ran across his skin as the thought about the repercussions of losing either of them.

The shoji door snapped open and Aoshi raised his eyes to meet Hiko's arrogant stare.

"How many hours has it been since he brought her in," he asked carelessly, as if he wasn't counting each moment. Aoshi lowered his eyes back down to Misao's pale face.

"Three."

"Where is the other one?" Hiko asked irritably. Aoshi assumed he was referring to Soujirou.

"He is hunting Yukishiro."

The sound of Hiko taking a long pull from his jug was the only sound in the room.

"You know what will happen if she dies," Hiko said suddenly and Aoshi was certain he wasn't referring to Misao. His guess was confirmed by the next words spoke.

"It is his right to claim vengeance for her death. I will not stop him."

Aoshi's gaze lifted. "Even if…"

Hiko gave a grim smile. "He will level Kyoto and if his instincts do not feel that she has been repaid enough, he will move on. I will give him this city. If he tries to go past here I will stop him. But Kyoto will burn. I hope it does not come to that."

Aoshi shook his head. "It would be beyond vengeance, it would be a blood bath. The chaos and destruction would be going beyond anything we could stop."

Hiko downed more of the sake. "Then let us hope it does not come to that, Shinomori."

Both men turned and looked towards the stairs leading to Battousai's room, when the sounds of furniture being smashed had stilled only moments before. Aoshi's mouth thinned into a straight line as the raging death-_ki_ continued to fill the Akebeko.

X

Kaoru woke in warm, fuzzy stages. Her gift was moving along the edges of the room, any shields stripped from her. Working herself to a more coherent state she realized she was curled around Kenshin tightly. Swallowing hard, she tried to shake some of the cobwebs out of her brain.

She was also very naked.

Looking up she found a pair of glittering amber eyes watching her. He had made no move to disentangle them from their position or to remove his hand from her hip. His head was braced on his free hand as he watched her. One of her arms was tossed over his waist, the other had slipped under his and her fingers were tangled in his hair.

She just stared at him, uncertain as to what he was waiting for her to say. His hair was cool between her fingers and she wasn't even aware she was twisting her fingers in it until the edges of his lips tilted upwards and the scrape of his calloused thumb moved against her skin.

"What happened?" Kaoru finally managed, surprised at how soft her voice was. There was something glittering fiercely behind his eyes that she hadn't seen before.

"You did something very stupid," he murmured, his hand tightening at her hip. She frowned, wondering at the softness in his tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever it was, it caused your gift to turn against you. It almost killed you." Now his voice was stern, edged in steel.

Kaoru tightened her grip on his hair and tried to remember. "I killed her…"

Looking up, she swallowed at the attentive amber eyes watching her. He had never stayed this close before and she was distracted by his hand on her skin. Swallowing, she tried again. "She attacked Misao. She… felt…"

"Felt like what?"

She shook her head. "There was a man."

"He's dead."

She nodded slow, somehow comforted by the resolve in his words. "He claimed that they were taking me to his master. That he would be pleased."

"Master?" Kenshin asked, as he moved suddenly, bracing his weight on his forearms as he pinned her body to the mattress. "Did he give a name?"

Kaoru shook her head, forcing herself not to think how close he was or how he smelled. For some reason, she could taste him on her tongue and she swallowed again.

"No, she just said… he said that she was surprised that I had been able to stay hidden so long." She frowned and attempted to remember. "He told the woman to bind me. I don't know what happened after that."

He breathed for long moments before his breath hissed between his teeth. "You can't remember anything else?" When she shook her head he moodily shifted one hand so it was buried in the long strands of her hair. "You did quite a number on yourself during that little fight, Kaoru."

Kaoru frowned. "She _felt_ like she was an empath…"

Kenshin narrowed his gaze, "Did she."

At her nod he fell silent for several moments before he lowered his eyes, dragging them down her bare skin. Kaoru found herself flushing.

"We will discuss this again later." he told her mildly. But the hand in her hair tugged lightly in chastisement and she was so stunned by the affectionate touch that his words took several seconds to sink in. " Aoshi brought Misao back last night."

Kaoru frowned and pushed at him until he moved to let her sit up.

"Is she alright?" Kaoru asked as she pulled the blanket up and looked over at him.

Kenshin shrugged. "I have not seen her. But if she was in the same shape you were… you might be able to fix the damage. If not, we should probably kill her."

Not a flicker of emotion showed in his eyes but Kaoru thought she might have caught something in his _ki_.

Kaoru swallowed. "Why are my shields gone?"

Kenshin frowned. Reaching down, he caught her wrist and brought it to his lips, sinking his teeth in. The move was unexpected and Kaoru gasped in surprise as he swallowed a few times before dragging his tongue against the puncture marks. Kaoru stared at him when his teeth nipped lightly at her finger tips before he let her hand drop.

"You gift has shifted," he told her finally. "It's… changed. Whatever happened has caused it to become more." His fangs flashed briefly. "We shall have to test it later."

There was heat in his words, a promise of how exactly he intended to test it and her mouth ran dry. For the second time since she woke, the edges of his mouth curled in amusement before he reached down helped her stand. Kaoru hung onto the blanket with white-knuckled fingers.

"Get dressed. Misao is in the family wing. Stay out of the restaurant. You won't need me to put her back together." He gave her a sharp look. "I will be hunting for blood. You've been asleep for two days."

Two days? Had he actually _stayed_ with her that entire time? Kaoru swallowed as his shields dropped. Her gift was still lazy beneath her skin but he appeared not to notice. The sounds and smells of the Aoiya crashed over her but her gift ignored them. Instead she felt Misao's battered _ki_ instead and she scrambled into a kimono, quickly tying off her obi. She would need to figure out what was going on with her gift after she helped Misao.

Or at least she hoped she could.

X

Soujiro fingered the sword at his hip. _Kikuichimonji Norimune _was heavy at his side and eager to be unleashed on those who were moving about. The air tasted of human stench and waste and he wanted to remove it. Stroking the handle he willed his gift into some sort of control. His own darkness was different than his master's. He had lived as the son of a human whore, having been taken in when he was a baby.

There wasn't anything of that family left, now.

He was a weapon.

His life had started with Shishio Makoto as his Shishou. He was the first man to give him a weapon and teach him how to kill with it. Shishio had taught him that humans were weak and vampires were strong. He had taught him that he was gifted and talented and that humans were creatures that were to be used as a life source and nothing else.

He had never forgotten that lesson.

It had started with the death of those who had treated him as nothing more than a whore's son. His mother had been converted, impregnated and then abandoned. She had shunned her nature and his birth had cost her her life. As a child, he had struggled with his cravings for blood. Each beating, each taunt, had stirred something dark inside him and it had latched onto Shishio-sama's words greedily.

Under Shishio he had learned _Shukuchi_ and to make something of himself. He had dedicated himself to Shishio's cause. He had learned how to be useful, how to grasp an ideal and hold onto it. Shishio had given him _Nagasone Kotetsu_ to use against the weak humans. Shishio had fed that little shred of darkness until it became what it was today. Blood satisfied it but it craved the blood of his enemies more. His own needs came second to such a drive.

Shishio-sama's goals had been clear. The Meiji government ruled over those who were weak and worthless. It deserved to fall, sending humans into chaos giving the vampires the edge over their worthless lives. They would be unchecked and unstoppable once the Meiji government fell, sending humankind back to the darkness of before the Bakumatsu, when vampires cut their fangs on human death.

He had lived for Shishio's goals.

Then they had drawn the attention of Battousai.

Sourjio had been slightly perturbed when Shishio had told him at first that the Battousai was their enemy. The Bakumatsu had been Battousai's training ground. He had learned how to kill and kill well. There was very little he could not do with his katana and there had been none to stand against him. There were rumors that he was heir of someone even more powerful but Seijuro Hiko had not been seen in centuries and had never taken on an apprentice.

He could still remember his first impression of Battousai.

He had been shorter than Sourjio had first expected but the sheer power that radiated off him had made up for it. Hair the color of rich fire had fallen around his shoulders, tamed only by the samurai top knot. Hot, amber eyes. His movements had been deliberate and precise, never fighting with more strength or speed than needed.

He had not expected Battousai to be faster.

He had shut down his _Shukuchi_ long before he had gotten it to full strength and then shattered _Nagasone Kotetsu_ with a burst of power that had staggered him. Battousai had not only fought with his sword and his skill but his _ki_. He attacked you on every plane of the battle field and destroyed you from the inside out before he took your sword and your life.

Unexpectedly, Battousai had spared him.

Shishio had died in a flaming glory that had been looked upon with contempt by those who had taken Shishio'sempire down. Battousai had easily sliced through the ideals that Soujiro had cherished for most of his young life and then given him something new. Battousai looked at things differently than Shishio. His contempt for humans was possibly even more than Shisho-sama's yet he chose a different path.

Let them run themselves into the ground. Allow the Meiji government to flourish. They would take away their swords and their ability to sense ki. It would make them weak. Guns and other weapons could be overcome. Humans were weak and their own weaknesses would become harder to hide as they let go of the old ways.

Then the vampire would rule the darkness.

Battousai had no need to attack the main strength of humans when he so easily undermined their desire to live. He had spent the ten years after the Bakumatsu feeding his own legend. Battousai had made him his apprentice. It was a fine line that he had walked but he trod it well. He had a new purpose.

Most of their future rested on the fact that the humans remained oblivious to the growing danger. They carefully fed the rumors and the darkness when they chose and undermined those who knew how to fight against them. Hunters were easily handled. Humans were their own worst enemy.

Battousai had allowed Soujrio to perfect _Tenbu no Sai Niyoru Ken_ and then taught him to improve his _Battōjutsu_ until he was perfect. His own legend had risen among his kind. He was no longer a simple weapon for Shishio-sama to use for his ideals. He had been given tools to make his own decisions and to give his loyalty. He had accepted his place among those Battousai had gathered and found his place in the shadows. The weapon Battousai used in the darkness.

The differences between him and Shishio had slowly become more and more apparent the longer he worked for him. Shishio had been determined to give the humans a piece of his hell. As a young vampire, he had been caught by humans and tortured so that his gift had erupted around him. It had gone out of control and he had almost died from the wounds his _ki_ had inflicted on himself. Soujiro had never seen Shishio without his bandages but he had heard from Yumi, Shishio's mate, that the wounds were horrible.

Shishio wanted to return the humans to the darkness and trap them in hell.

Battousai didn't particularly care for humankind. He considered them weak but preferred to let them trap themselves in their own hells and leave them be. Occasionally, they would do something that would require straightening out, but it was rare and he rarely put the effort into place.

Then the strike had come.

The assault against Seijuro had not even come close to killing him but it had lit a spark that had turned into a blaze. Sourjiro had been a part of the unit that had slowly torn the vampire population in Kyoto apart. There had been blood and retribution he had not seen since the Bakumatsu.

It was then that he had gained a new respect for the Oniwabanshu.

He knew that it still stuck in Battousai's throat that the main instigator had never been caught. They had searched hard yet nothing had ever given them a lead. Japan had been torn apart as he searched and then he had disappeared for ten years, hunting.

Nothing had given them any clue until Battousai's volatile little mate had been attacked.

Soujiro needed more proof, of course, but there was something here that reminded him of the man who had disappeared into the shadows of his defeat. He had Yukishiro in his mind for as long as Yukishiro had controlled him and there had been something there that had stank of the man they had never even caught a glimpse of. The mysterious master – the reason he hunted.

He would bring Yukishiro to Battousai and let him and Shinomori tear the information from his fragile mind. He would discover why Battousai's mate was so important and how Yukishiro was involved.

Soujiro looked up as his informant moved forward and he followed.

Yukishiro wouldn't get away twice.

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Re-Posted: 11-9-10

Thank you to **LordRandallsLady** for assisting with the editing of the re-written story. None of these chapters would have been posted without her.

* * *

Kenshin released the body of the human and watched her fall gracelessly to the ground. He wondered if it was some human quirk or a showing of courage that so many died with their eyes open. He sighed. More like a reaction that they had little control over. Rather like breathing. No control, instinctive rise and falls of their chests.

He had fed well. Kaoru was going to need to feed, but then she was heading into a battle. It would be better to let her draw off his strength and then feed her when it was over. He considered those instincts that urged him to provide for her. The soft spot he had done his best to ignore was growing. He knew from long experience that there was only so much he could do to fight his internal instincts.

Kenshin narrowed his eyes. Hiko was back at the Aoiya and waiting on him to return. Turning on his heel he headed back into the crowded streets, leaving the girl to be found. He was curious to see what Shishou would want to say to him and resigned to being insulted during the entire duration of their conversation. He had too many other things to worry about than Hiko's twisted sense of amusement. The shields around the Aoiya had been rebuilt, but he they gave way to him easily.

Hiko was standing in the entrance, holding a bottle of sake. He looked annoyed, but that was a common expression. Kenshin nodded his head and waited.

"Office."

There was only one office in the entirety of the Aoiya that Hiko would use, so Kenshin headed there and stepped inside. He didn't bother to turn as he felt his Shishou shields wrap around the room. It was a relief to block out the meaningless clutter of noise coming from inside the restaurant.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Kenshin asked, forcing himself to keep his tone even. Each moment that passed was another moment that Kaoru's determination and exhaustion beat at him. Even feeding hadn't improved his temperament.

"I suppose it would be useless to attempt to correct the majority of your stupidity," Hiko said bluntly. "But someone must start somewhere. Nature chose to give you a mate and this is how you have chosen to treat her. Have you learned nothing?"

Kenshin turned. Hiko could rarely go through a conversation without some form of insult, but he hadn't been prepared for this line of attack. Before Kenshin could speak, he had already started talking again.

"Don't answer that." Hiko muttered. "It went in one ear and out the other." The larger man crossed his arms and glowered down at him. "Did you learn anything about empaths?"

Kenshin gritted his teeth. "Yes, I…"

"Not enough then. For someone who is supposed to be so smart, you are such a dense idiot." Hiko reached over and picked up the _sake_ jug next to him and took a long drink.

"The first problem you have is that she was raised as a human. Even if she had been raised as a vampire, she would require more affection than you would be comfortable giving. She thrives off emotion. She lives off of it the same way you live off your own gift. Take that into consideration each time a situation requires some sort of tact from you. It's probably asking too much, but at least you've been warned."

The _sake_ jug was dipped into again.

"Second, because of the botched transformation you pulled, she also requires a place to rest from that gift of hers. I doubt she will ever have the level of control considered acceptable by our kind. That means you will _become_ her control. I believe the little shadow walker had reported that you were holding her center. I shouldn't have to explain this to you, but I will anyway. Your gifts are feeding off each other in an unusual manner."

Kenshin frowned at the note that entered his Master's voice, but there was little to show for the emotion in his voice.

"If things to develop the way they are now, you will not survive her death."

Kenshin frowned. "There was a… incident with her attempting to feed."

"Her gift's reaction was to the killing. It's possible that she is unable to take human life within the scope of her gift. Take measures accordingly. It is not likely that you will ever allow her far enough away from you that she will have to feed on her own." Hiko's voice was harsh. "Do what you have to do to make this work. There are not enough empaths for us to accidentally ruin this one with your stupidity."

Kenshin bristled, but kept his mouth shut. Getting into an argument with Hiko right now would not help anything. Because his Kaoru _had_ killed.

"Now," Hiko said in a calmer tone of voice. "What else has she been able to do?"

"She can transfer emotional imprints if she is frightened enough." Kenshin told him. "The only time it has happened was when she attempted to explain why she couldn't kill the woman she was feeding off of." He frowned thoughtfully. "It was almost as if she was attempting to purge herself."

"Empaths are rare so it is possible that she does in fact have to purge herself. I have Shinamori digging in the archives for more information. If you had been thinking _you_ would already have had him looking, instead of leaving it to me."

Kenshin ignored the barb. Letting his irritation feed into himself, he probed Kaoru while Hiko drained his first _sake_ jar and moved on to the second. She was tired.

"Jineh was hired by Yukishiro or someone Yukishiro is now working for."

"And being the idiot that you are, you have allowed them two opportunities to kill her." Hiko said in a weary voice. "If this is indeed the vampire from ten years ago and thirty years before that, we cannot allow her to fall into his hands. Do I really need to waste my breath _stressing_ the importance of this?"

Kenshin frowned. "He could be attempting to strike at you through me."

"Or, he has given up on killing me entirely." Hiko replied after another pull at his _sake_ jar. "Whatever you do, do not let them get their hands on your mate. Do I make myself clear? Your stupidity should at least understand that much."

Kenshin winced and then shrugged. "I have things I need to do before Kaoru finishes healing Misao." Is there anything else?" He raised a brow in question.

"Don't do anything stupid. Once she recovers I want to meet this mate of yours. She's managed to survive your stupidity twice now. I like that. It gives me hope that one day she'll knock some sense into you."

Kenshin allowed himself an eye-roll as he exited the room.

X

Kaoru nervously bit her bottom lip as she walked through the narrow hallway to Misao's room. There was a sick sort of panic that had settled like a brick in her stomach. Even the warm and hopeful expressions on the faces of the Oniwabanshu had done nothing, but left her feeling shaky and unsure.

Her gift was wild today. It was bouncing around the hallway and across her skin, bringing back sensations and warm feelings that she could barely feel through the thick layer of shielding that Kenshin had made sure she was covered in before he left. For some reason, Kenshin hadn't shielded her the same way as before. Now, her gift had room to roam, but she was cushioned from the onslaught of information it brought back.

Her gift knew where it was going long before she did.

The closer she got to Misao, the looser the shielding became, peeling away from her body bit by bit. She was a bit discouraged at that, but she supposed Kenshin had something to do with it. She wondered how close he had to be monitoring her to know… She didn't know nearly enough about shielding to be able to guess. However, her gift was thrilled at that and leaped out at odd intervals and crawled through her insides. Her gift was greedy and responded by slowly tangling itself in the extra rolls of power.

She could vaguely remember the feeling of Jineh's ki rolling across her skin, the feeling of those threads slipping through her gift and coming out differently. This was different. Instead of changing Misao's _ki_, her gift seemed to be containing it and holding back. She stopped outside the door and realized that her gift could do three things: she could continue to destroy the threads she held, she could repair them or her body could absorb the latent power and feed it back into her own gift. Her hands trembled as she pushed open the door to the little room.

When she had played around with Jineh's ki she had been simply toying with it. In that instance she had had a perfectly functioning _ki_ and gift to work with. Misao's was anything but perfect.

Opening the door, she felt the last of Kenshin's shielding drop. In her mind's eye, she could see the pulsing of Misao's _ki_ around her small body. Normally, it was a dark shade of gray, with even darker charcoal shades representing her gift. Now, there were patches of blood red splashed through her intermingling _ki_ and gift.

Kaoru grimaced. Her experience told her what could happen when _ki_ and a gift mingled. Misao's were practically destroying each other as she lay there. Misao was killing herself.

Shinomori was also in the room. Kaoru could feel the icy cold of his trapped emotions and the way he attempted to control them. She couldn't remember if anyone had told her what his gift was, but his _ki_ was colorless and almost completely transparent except for the occasional flash of color. Just like the sun shining through one of the glass prisms that the Westerners had brought in and displayed in windows.

Her palms were damp with sweat as she continued to take in the scene. Misao's skin was so pale that Kaoru could see the faint blue lines of her veins around her mouth and eyes. Kaoru bit her bottom lip and was surprised at the feel of her fangs, but she didn't let the pressure up.

Shinomori face was tightly drawn and his jaw was so tense that the skin around his lips was white. With the fire that had raged in her blood still fresh in her memory she considered what her friend must have been going through. Kenshin had been able to save her from that and Kaoru wondered if there was a certain amount of guilt in the man for not being able to do the same for Misao. She didn't know if it was in his character, but then she hadn't thought protecting her from herself was in Kenshin's either. Shaking off those thoughts, she settled on the _tatami_ mat. She watched the movements of Misao's _ki_ for a long moment before lifting her head to watch Shinomori.

"Do you think you could… shield the room?" she asked softly, surprised at the edge in her voice. The rush of her gift was humming in her veins again, and it brought a sense of power she wasn't used to. "I need quiet and it's loud and noisy and…"

Her teeth clicked shut when the room was wrapped in what felt like a thick smoke. It was different than the exact silence of Kenshin's shielding, but that was perhaps a difference in type of power, too. Her gift pushed at it for a moment but then moved back to Misao.

"Thank you," she added, when she remembered to. Something inside her shifted in compliance to those words, but didn't do anything more than that. Kaoru hoped she wouldn't have to ask him to suppress his emotions… but she didn't think she would. Taking a deep breath she let go of her gift completely and waited to see what it would do. Her gift teased along the edges of Shinomori _ki_, but as with the shield, eventually came back to Misao. It was what the rest of her gift was sinking in on, absorbing and sliding into Misao's gift and _ki_ that had her breath catching.

Misao was _in pieces._

Her _ki _had been torn to shreds and her gift was boiling in on itself. There were long strips torn from her by would could have been a set of claws. She was missing chunks from her life force and her gift had attempted to fill those gaps, and when it failed, started to turn in on itself in an attempt to end the pain.

Kaoru felt sick. _This_ was what she had the capability to do to another being?

"Kaoru-san." Shinomori's voice broke through her shocked horror. She lifted her eyes and blinked at him in surprise. There was an odd note of respect there she had never thought to hear from the dangerous and older vampire.

"Can you help her?" His voice was quiet and it broke through the disgust with herself that had been building deep inside her. Disgust, because some part of her had recognized the work and admired the complication of the tearing and memorized it for future use. _Disgust_, because she had realized that that part of her that was slowly growing in strength was almost as cold as the little pocket in her soul that allowed her to hide from herself.

She considered Shinomori's words. "Yes."

She didn't _know_ if it was true, but she was going to do it. If she was going to automatically learn how to rip and tear and destroy, she was going to learn how to reverse it, to heal what she had done. Some part of her was terrified that by learning to heal the damage she was just going to teach herself new and creative ways to destroy, but it was a risk she was going to take. She would do what she had to in order to protect.

Sucking in a deep breath, she reached out for her gift and called it to her. She was surprised at how easily it came to her summons and the greedy sensation that hummed in her veins. It felt hot and cold against her hold and she licked her lips as she considered where to start and decided that she was going to have to trust her instincts.

She had never been good at unraveling knots. Unless it was kendo, she had limited patience for tedious tasks. When she had been a child it had taken her weeks to learn to sit still and meditate. But the only way she was going to be able to save Misao's _ki_ was if she separated the gift from her life force. The red areas were above what Kaoru thought would be Misao's major organs. She would have to ask Megumi how that correlated. The gift was being forced to feed off the _ki_ to survive. She could work with that.

She quickly discovered while she had excellent control of Misao's _ki_ and was able to manipulate where it twisted and bent to her will, control of another person's gift was not nearly so easy to come by. It wanted to fight back and it wanted to fight hard. The first time it had hit back, she had been thrown off guard and had almost pulled back before stubbornly hanging on. It made her angry. Her gift slammed back at it without her prompting and dove straight in, starting to tear at the gift. She had been terrified that she was hurting Misao (her body bucking and twisting against the futon), but if she didn't do this she was going to lose and Misao would die. She gritted her teeth together. Misao was what she considered a friend and she wasn't about repay her help with shielding by letting her die.

By pushing the weaker vampire's remaining strength into preserving her life force and forcing her gift where she wanted it go, she won in small increments; if you could measure spiritual energy in such human terms. It was a pattern she followed until she was dripping in sweat.

Shinomori had been forced to move and hold the unconscious girl still so she wouldn't hurt herself. The motion had been something she had absently noted as she fought for Misao's life. Kaoru was having a hard enough time noticing anything over the loud ringing in her ears. There was a sort of acknowledgement in the back of her mind that her hands were flat on the floor and she was bent over Misao so close that the dull blue of the blanket turned to gray and filled her vision. There was a curious exhaustion starting in her bones and working its way out into her body, but she ignored it and continued to fight.

Her strength faltered and then there was a rush of dark and cold. She gasped in surprise and had the presence of mind to be thankful for it, but had little time to spare. Kaoru thought she caught a flicker of emotion under his temper, but she pushed it into the back of her head to think about another time.

When she finally lifted her head from Misao, she met Shinomori's eyes. She felt hollow and drained and her gift was quiet. The exhaustion was bone deep and she felt her body trembling from the almost-pain of mentally bruised muscles.

"I think I have done all I can," Kaoru said hoarsely. "I think everything else should heal in time. She can't use her gift for some time, I don't know how long exactly…"

She closed her eyes again. It was very difficult to not just sink into the floor and sleep. Now that she wasn't working there was a terrible need to feed. Her jaw ached with her need for blood.

"I will fetch Himura," Shinomori said as he stood. Kaoru nodded at his words. She was just going to lie down for a few minutes…

X

Kenshin stepped into the room where Megumi tinkered and leaned against the wall. He had spent some time going over a few books while he waited for Kaoru to finish up whatever she was doing, but his irritation with Hiko had made him antsy.

He watched as Megumi turned to face him. There was no fear in her eyes. He doubted that she knew how to show him fear after ten years, but he couldn't say he particularly minded. While he enjoyed inspiring fear into those under him, it had never worked as well with her as it did with others. He supposed the leniency he was starting to show Kaoru had started here.

"We're going to war." He watched her reaction carefully. She had stood by him in the last war and it had taken its toll on her. He watched her pulse quicken and nodded. If she fell into the hands of their enemies then she would die slowly. Smart of her to fear that even if she had forgotten to fear him.

Megumi swallowed at his words. It wasn't a warning or even him coming to tell her information. He wanted something from her. She didn't doubt that he would tell her when he was ready but until then... war. War between vampire races was dangerous.

"I want you to stay here. Do not make a target out of yourself. You're a liability. When this is over if you're alive," he eyed her moodily. "Things will change."

Megumi licked her lips, but kept her mouth shut. She wasn't sure what his temper was going to be like now. She had felt the pressure of Shinomori's shields drop a few moments ago and she knew that Kenshin would be checking on his mate soon.

"I will not require your immediate services once this is over. You are free to set yourself up in Kyoto however you choose, but you will be available when I need you." He leveled her with a dark look, turned and walked out.

Megumi pressed her hand to her throat. He had … he had… he had practically given her freedom to choose to do as she wished. Picking up her basket, she headed for the front of the Aoiya and headed outside.

She needed fresh air to think…

X

Kaoru felt like she was swimming up through some sort of fog. She was acutely aware of the futon under her body, but she couldn't make herself move no matter how hard she attempted to open her eyes. Rustling noises caught her attention and with a great deal of effort she managed to open her eyes. Blinking several times, she cleared the fuzziness from her vision.

Kenshin was sitting with a book held open between his hands, his posture the most relaxed she'd seen it. There was an unhurried sort of ease as he continued to read, propped up against a small chest. The picture reminded her of a stance her father used to adopt; she could easily see a sword cradled against the length of his body and resting against the curve of his neck. She must have done something to alert him to her being awake, because calm gold eyes lifted from the pages and met hers.

He didn't say anything, just watched her from beneath his lashes before glancing down and closing the tome. Standing, he crossed the few feet between them and settled himself behind her. Kaoru considered moving to follow him with her eyes but Kenshin reached over and lifted her. Instead of the usual biting remark, he shifted her until she was leaning against his chest, lips pressed against his throat.

Her instincts kicked in and she was far too tired to fight them.

Flicking her tongue across the pulse point, she tasted his skin before digging her fangs into his neck. Some part of her vaguely recognized that he hadn't even tensed, but the rest of her was too busy enjoying both his closeness and his blood. As her hunger tapered off, she wondered why he had let her bite his neck. Normally he refused her anything but the veins on his wrist. Licking the wounds until they closed, she fought down the urge to wrap around him and go back to sleep.

"Misao?" Kaoru asked, as she lifted her head and pushed far enough away from his chest that there was some space between them. She shivered inwardly at the lazy expression in his eyes, and tried to ignore the way her gift tried to wrap around him.

"She'll live." Kenshin told her with a shrug. Reaching forward, he caught some strands of loose hair and wrapped them around his fingers. "Shishou assessed your work."

Kaoru tilted her head and blinked at him. "Shishou?"

"Hiko Sejirou." Kenshin's fangs glittered for a moment. "It has also come to my attention that you have passed a very important test, little Kaoru."

Kaoru frowned at him. "I did what?"

Something gleamed back behind his eyes and the fissions in her stomach weren't all from nerves. "It took some digging, but the reasons why you were… _hurt_ by the attack when you fought back were brought to my attention." He lifted her hair to his mouth and she swallowed. There was heat there but something else. That illusive emotion she wanted to call concern but didn't dare.

"The reason that you almost died and your gift turned in on itself is a surprisingly simple."

"Is it?" She was trying to pay attention to what he was saying, but part of her was far more interested in the way his mouth shaped words.

"An empath operates like a sieve. When you go in to take someone apart from the inside out, you first filter their emotion and power through yourself. It allows you to draw strength from them. You could even use people's emotions if you were unable to take blood to sustain yourself. It's the same principle that I use when I kill someone. Their death becomes my power. For you, it's based on emotional output and the bond between gifts and _ki._ That makes you very dangerous." He seemed to be pleased and amused at the information.

"Then why did attacking that woman almost kill me?" Kaoru asked flatly.

"You have to build your ability to handle emotion. However, most empaths cannot kill." Something flickered in his eyes that she couldn't read. "That is why you struggled to feed yourself. That is why you almost died when you killed the empath that attacked you and Misao. You were incapable of processing that much of someone's life force and dealing with the aftermath of death. It rendered the barrier between your _ki_ and gift useless, and you attacked yourself in order to find some sort of release from the pressure."

"So I can't kill." Kaoru asked softly, attempting to figure out how exactly Kenshin was going to deal with that little detail.

"No," Kenshin said. He moved fast enough that she couldn't stop him, and she ended up flat on her back with him straddling her thighs, her hands caught above her head. Her stomach fluttered at the expression on his face.

"You can. You _have_ killed. Your body is now _capable_ of handling that sort of pressure. That means there is _nothing_ to keep you from learning how to catch your own meals and from ripping," his mouth grazed the corner of hers. "Someone," he bit her bottom lip. "Apart." He slipped his tongue inside her mouth for a moment before pulling back.

Kaoru stared at him, lips tingling. There was satisfaction there but it wasn't… it wasn't the same sort of determination to force her to do what he wanted against her will. Instead he seemed to be studying her, watching her reaction to his words. There was a memory tugging at the back of her mind, something that was important, but it faded at the gentle brush of his thumb behind her ear.

She shook her head. "I won't do that. Just because I can… doesn't mean I _will_."

It had felt like she was dying with them. Just because she could handle that sensation now did not mean she wanted to relieve it every time she was forced to feed. Just the thought left her feeling sick. Amber eyes gazed down at her and he tilted his head, long hair spilling down her neck.

"You will not starve because you cannot feed yourself if I am not able, Kaoru."

Kaoru frowned. "What…"

His nose brushed hers and her brain couldn't process it. "You will protect yourself by any means necessary – _including_ killing another vampire or human. If you allow yourself to be hurt because of some human sense of compassion – I'll take it out of the flesh of those two idiots who you care for."

She narrowed her eyes, tugging at her wrists, "Don't you dare."

His teeth nipped her lower lip. "I will. We will continue to practice stalking and hunting, but I will make the kill – as long as you obey me in this."

He was… protecting her? _But_… there was something wicked about the smile that was slowly lifting the corners of his mouth. Kaoru swallowed at that expression and the way he deliberately ran his eyes across her lips and down her throat.

"I wonder," Kenshin murmured, slowly sliding his hands down her arms so that his calluses dragged against her skin. "How else your gift will react now that there are no barriers holding it back. No self imposed survival instincts."

His fingers trailed up her shoulders and across her throat to trace her collarbones. His eyes watched her throat as she swallowed. She felt him lower the shields on her gift and she shivered. He was hot, dark and cold against the brush of her gift. Without the restraints holding her gift to her body, she could feel everything; his amusement, the almost playful edge to his temper and the hot flares of lust. Stunningly: the soft edge of what felt like _affection_.

Kenshin murmured something she couldn't understand; she was too caught in the way her gift raced through the room. He had apparently set up those dark shields again and her gift was disappointed for a moment before twisting back and centering on him. The low chuckle that rolled from his throat was hungry as her gift teased along his skin and she bit back a moan. There was no way to describe having his emotions wash through her. He was doing nothing to control them and she pressed her face against his throat.

He moved suddenly and she was unprepared for the sensation of his mouth against her throat and his response to her cry. Gasping, she arched a little when his tongue laved. Wanting to bury her fingers in his hair, Kaoru frowned when she realized she couldn't move her hands. The feel of his fingers back against her side were a mute testimony that he moved his hands but…

She had lifted her gaze to demand answers when she caught sight of his eyes. His pupils had swallowed the gold. A low curl of what felt like amusement teased across her hypersensitive skin.

"How interesting," Kenshin murmured, his lashes lowering as he examined her clothing. "I wasn't sure whether to believe the legends about empathy and sex or not…" His lips curved slowly upwards.

Kaoru had opened her mouth to ask him what he meant when his fingers stroked her breast through her clothing. Moaning at his warmth, she tried to reach for him and snarled in the back of her throat when she couldn't. Enjoyment at her predicament crawled through her and she flexed her fingers in aggravation.

Leaning over he brushed her mouth with his before another laugh echoed in along her skin. "You're so feisty," he murmured before he bit her lip again.

Kaoru felt her chest tighten and the urge to bite him back was almost painful. Her wrists twisted against the hold, but refused to lift off the futon. Kenshin seemed to enjoy taking his time and using his teeth. By the time he had nibbled his way down her throat, she had hooked one leg around his and was trying to encourage him to go lower. Instead, he scrapped his fangs down shoulder hard enough to sting. Her leg flexed against his and she moaned again when he sucked.

Frustrated that she could do nothing in retaliation, she was shocked when her gift suddenly contracted around his body. Hot need slammed into her gut and Kaoru gasped while Kenshin shivered above her.

"Oh yes," he purred as his fingers began to slowly undo the obi around her waist. His hands stroked up to her breasts and back down between each delicate tug. His eyes _burned_. "I think we are both going to greatly enjoy this."

X

Megumi lifted the little jar of dried saffron and studied the color intently, as she allowed the dying light of the sun to wash over her. It was still mortally hot. She had always been most grateful for the change in body temperature that came with her change. Allowing her to feel hot or cool at her own control and not at the whim of Japan's uncaring sun had been an unexpected pleasure.

Setting the bottle down to compare to another, she considered her conversation with Battousai earlier. There was a sense of giddiness that she was still attempting to regulate, but she was hard pressed to keep the edges of her lips from curling upwards. He wasn't going to require her to follow him when he continued his traveling under Hiko's guidance. His warning had been unexpectedly thoughtful.

'_Of course, he is just making sure he knows where you are should he need you. There is also the fact that while you are very _gift_ed at healing, there is little you can do to protect yourself and you are made. Even being made by Battousai won't get you out of your problems. It is simply an inconvenience for you to die and for him to have to find himself another loyal healer._' The truth to her thoughts might have bothered her five years ago, but now they just brought about simple relief. She knew where she stood within Battousai's will and that was enough.

Curiously, he had not forbidden her from finding a mate. In the past, when he had left, he had left strict orders to keep to herself and to avoid males of their species. '_I wonder if that's his…_'

"What do we have here, gentlemen?" The voice was smooth and male and held undercurrents a human's voice could never hope to have; authority that would allow them to tame a human with only a voice if they should wish to put the effort forth. The hairs on the back of her arms rose in warning.

Carefully, Megumi put the expensive bottle of spice down and turned to get a better look at her opposition. She was probably going to have to deal with this herself. She hadn't brought an escort because the stall was only a few stands down from the Oniwabanshu hideout. She said nothing as she watched them smile at her. They only wanted one thing and she had no intention of giving it to them.

'_There are times_,' Megumi thought in a wry sort of exasperation. '_That I wish I could have been given a _gift_ that is little more intimidating._'

"Aren't you curious as to why we are interested in you, of all people, unclean one?" one of the men jeered.

'_It's been some time since I heard that particular jab_.' Megumi thought with a great deal of venom. She was opening her mouth to retort back when a male voice interrupted her.

"She isn't interested and if you have any wish to remain alive, then you will just walk away." Sano's voice cut in. Megumi swallowed carefully, forcing herself to not show the automatic reaction being in his presence lately had caused in her. She would not blush, her hands would not tremble and it was merely nerves that had her stomach in butterflies.

Instead, she looked up and forced herself to pretend she didn't care that he was stepping in. Sano looked furious, his jaw was clenched tightly and his bandaged hand flexed back and forth, as if he was trying hard not to strike first. Surprise fluttered in her stomach. She hadn't thought that Sano had that sort of control.

"Back off," one of them snarled at him. "We have out plans for this _made_-bitch and you're not going to interfere."

Megumi felt her eyes widen at the way Sano's lips twisted into a lazy, satisfied smile. The only thing that kept her from feeling betrayed was the hard light that burned in his eyes.

"You know," Sano drawled as he brought his hands in front of his body to crack his knuckles. "Someone once told me that stupidity should be eradicated from the gene pool." The smile on his face dropped from his face. "Never thought I would be agreeing with him on that matter…"

His body moved with a careless grace that was startling. Megumi watched as he caught one man in the jaw with a hard blow from his right hand. She winced in sympathy at the damage that his already busted knuckles took. He didn't even seem to notice as he pivoted and drove one foot into another vampire's gut, using the motion to cross over with his left hand and snap a fast uppercut into the third vampire's jaw.

Sano stared at the groaning bodies and Megumi suddenly remembered what Sano's gift was. Strength. He was strong. Strong enough to lay a vampire flat with a single blow. Strong enough to protect her from her nightmares; protect her from everything but the demon that changed her.

Desperation mingled with desire and she acted before she could think. For a moment she thought her body was going to fling itself into his arms so she could weep, but she surprised herself when she picked up busted knuckles and shredded the bandages with her nails.

"You're an idiot," she snapped at him as she looked at the swollen joints. "You're going to ruin your hand if you're not careful!"

"It's nothing," Sano drawled. Her eyes swung up to his face and he stared down at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. "Don't worry."

Megumi hardened her expression. "I'm not worried," she informed him waspishly.

"That's not what your eyes said," he returned.

Megumi dropped her eyes back to his hand and swallowed. She held his right professionally between her own cold hands as she studied the damage. She refused to allow her fingers to caress the skin as she wished. He was lucky he hadn't done more than bruise the tissue and bones. Licking her lips, she kept her eyes down as she ran her fingertips along the abrasions on his knuckles, calling her gift. With each pass she carefully feed a little more power into her gift until the wounds had smoothed over and she couldn't sense any internal damage.

"There," Megumi said finally, letting go of his fingers. "You're all…" she started when his hand snapped back out to catch her own fingers.

"Megumi…"

She jerked her fingers free. Taking a step back, she took several very deep breaths to calm herself. She should have just left him alone and not bothered at all. She was not ready for this sort of commitment! Blinking back the rush of tears, she twisted on her heel and marched determinedly through the crowd to the Aoiya. She heard the sound of Sano calling her name again, his tones holding a determined note she had not heard from him before. Panic slithered through and she picked up her pace, slipping in a back door, and then lifting the bottom of her kimono to allow her launch herself into her workroom at the back of the restaurant.

The walls were built from stone instead of rice paper and were cool and the room was dark. She didn't bother to light a lantern. The simple smell of herbs in the darkness allowed her to get her breathing back under control.

'_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_' Megumi berated at herself. '_You know better than to run! It just tells the hunter that you are afraid or that you have something to hide. Must I remind you that you can't…'_

She stilled in her corner as the door opened. The light from the Aoiya blinded her, but she could see the faint form of the figure that was blocking the light. He was too tall to be Kenshin and too broad shouldered to be Aoshi. '_Please, please don't see me…_'

"I know you're in here, Megumi." Sano's voice was quiet as he shut the door behind him. "If it makes you feel better to talk about this in the dark, that's fine, but we _are_ going to talk about this."

When had he grown a backbone?

"I am not discussing anything." Her voice was raw. "There is _nothing_ to talk about."

"Then why are you hiding in the dark?" Sano asked mockingly.

Megumi preferred him as the stupid thug she had first met. He wasn't supposed to be smart and he wasn't supposed to have any sort of brains. She bit her bottom lip and blinked back the sudden assault of tears that surprised her. She hadn't cried since the night she had been changed and she had promised herself that she would never do it again. "I am not hiding. I like the dark."

Sano snorted. "I'm not Battousai, Megumi. Those sorts of answers will not fly with me. Do you want to know how I know that you are hiding?" His voice was hard and merciless and sounded a lot closer than she was comfortable with. She made herself sit silently because she didn't want to know how he knew. She didn't care. If she didn't talk maybe he wouldn't find her in the room.

He made a sound of disgust that churned her stomach. Something hot flared up and she shoved herself to her feet and glared into the darkness.

"I am not afraid of you," she snapped suddenly. She stomped her foot and clenched her hands into fists, then made a noise of surprise when he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Good." His voice was satisfied. "I have never asked you to be afraid of me, Megumi." His voice had quieted. "I may not have been the nicest…"

Megumi jerked out of his hold and slammed against the wall, searching for him in the complete darkness. "What do you want, Sanosuke?" She was having a hard time standing with her knees shaking under her kimono like a child.

"I want you to admit this… this… bond between us," he snapped abruptly. "I want you to admit that you have feelings for me and I want you to agree to… I don't know what. I am tired of watching you tremble like a little child every time he enters the room."

"I do not!" Her voice was hot with emotion.

"You do," Sano said in a firm tone. "You duck and shy away from anyone who you believe is better than you. I don't care if you're _made_ Megumi. Do you understand that?"

She pressed a hand to her mouth and trembled. She had to be honest with him. This was her mate - even if she didn't _want_ to acknowledge it. "What do you want from me?"

He let out a sigh. "Will you lean on my strength, Megumi?"

"Will I what?" Her voice was high and scared. She detested it.

"Will you lean on my strength? I can't promise you anything right now. Something is brewing and I owe Kaoru my allegiance. But until I can, will you let me protect you?"

"I don't need anyone's protection."

"No… no, I don't suppose think you do." Sano said in a low voice. "But you will one day and who will you turn to when that time comes?" She heard the sound of his footsteps and then the door opened.

"Sano…" Her voice sounded more vulnerable than she had ever heard it and she closed her mouth. There was a long silence as he stood in the light, shoulders straight, back to her. When he spoke, his tone was firm.

"I won't be around forever, Megumi…"

The door shut, leaving her in darkness again.

* * *

**_Please Comment_**


	14. Chapter 14

Well, when I updated this in '06, I had no idea it'd be near 4 years later before I managed to pick this story up again. That's a long time in-between updates. There are a lot of reasons for this, but if you are interested I posted a message on chapter one.

If you haven't checked my LJ in the past few weeks or attempted to re-read the story,** please note that I have re-written and edited a great majority of the story**. If you want the original story and not the new (and I hope) improved version, you can find it on .Moon.

I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Ravyn

* * *

Kaoru studied the meal in front of her before lifting her gaze to watch her mate through her lashes as he perused a curiously bound book. She had woken alone this morning, warmly tucked in the blankets and pleasantly relaxed; in a room that had been carefully shielded. She had just managed to untangle herself and relocate her sleeping robe when Kenshin returned. To her surprise, he had been carrying a tray with a carefully arranged breakfast that he sat next to her.

"Eat."

Before she could argue – she wasn't exactly hungry – he had leaned forward, close enough that his hair had brushed along her cheek, silencing her complaint. She had gone still, eyes widening at his closeness and the memories from the night before. Reaching forward, he wrapped her hair around his fingers. Dark yellow eyes scanned her features before he tugged lightly.

"Afterwards, we have a meeting."

Kaoru swallowed, but before she managed catch her bearings he had stood and settled against the chest, removing the book from his _gi_. She could have argued with him about the food but there had been an unexpected moodiness to his posture she hadn't really noticed before, a resigned patience that clung to him under the irritation. She lowered her gaze and stared at the steaming bowl of miso. She could _feel_ him if she even gave the slightest thought to it, because when they were like this, he made no effort to dampen her gift. He _did_ contain her gift to the room, but it seemed more interested in him than the barrier.

Deciding she would deal with it later, she picked at her breakfast.

It was the first time she had eaten actual food since she had left Tokyo. Considering, she ate several bites of the salt-cured salmon. Kenshin had been very specific in forcing her to learn to tolerate blood, but now he was offering her meals? Except… she felt fine. She didn't even have the usual twinge that spoke of the fact that might need to _feed_ sometime soon. She knew that Kenshin could sustain himself off kills, that he didn't always need blood so… Kaoru suddenly had to fight down a full body flush. Her gaze swung to Kenshin who hadn't seemed to notice her sudden discomfort and she scooped up another bite of rice to distract herself.

Is _that_ what he meant when he started talking about empaths and sex last night? That she could… Kaoru swallowed. She would think about that later. Clearing her throat, she curled her fingers a little tighter around her chopsticks. "Is Misao awake?"

The soft crinkle of paper filled the silence for a moment. "She's alive."

Kaoru frowned at him. He must have felt her glare but he ignored it. Huffing, she turned back to her meal. Eyes narrowed, she glanced over at him in-between bites before pausing, absently tapping her chopsticks against her bottom lip. He was being quiet this morning. Nice. Well, _almost_ nice. Her brows tucked together. Nice for him. He had actually brought her breakfast instead of waking her and making her locate her own meal.

Actually, his behavior these past few weeks had been… well, erratic. He had… allowed her the contact she needed after her mating cycle. He hadn't pulled away from her but he hadn't gone out of his way to hold her… except for that one time, when he had carried her after the shadow attack. But… last night. Feeling her cheeks heat, she glanced over to make sure he was still absorbed in his book. Relieved that he appeared to be ignoring her, she pressed the end of her chopsticks against her lip and sighed. Battousai who had first changed her – who had pushed her and terrified her – had melded into Kenshin, who had started to treat her with that stifled sort of affection.

A sudden flicker of _heat_ gave her pause and she glanced over at Kenshin to find him staring at the chopsticks pressing against her lip. Flushing again, she put them down and curled her fingers around her bowl of miso, stubbornly ignoring the glint in his eye, even as she felt his amusement. But instead of bothering her, he turned back to his book. Kaoru stared at him, bemused. Why was he giving her space?

Swiftly, Kaoru finished the soup and placed it on the tray. Lacing her fingers together, she decided that she had been letting herself be nervous about him long enough this morning. "What meeting?"

Kenshin glanced over at her tray and frowned at her. Kaoru didn't budge. He glanced down, clearly marking his page before he turned his attention back to her. There was more than just a hint of disapproval in his eyes, but he answered her question. "I told you that Shishou was interested in meeting you."

Kaoru gripped the blanket next to her. "You said a lot of things last night."

His eyes flared and her mouth ran dry at the sudden shift of his expression. There was something calculating about his gaze and she swallowed. Her gift brushed against him and her fingers went white around the blanket at the sudden surge. Before he could make do on the promise in his expression – in way his emotions were making her stomach flip – he turned his head in the direction of the restaurant and frowned.

"It looks like we've been summoned. Get dressed."

Startled, because she hadn't heard or felt _anything_, she jumped as that growing intent suddenly disappeared under a nettling irritation. The sudden tightness of his jaw and narrowed-eyed glance had her pushing to her feet. Because he wasn't watching, she grabbed the _hakema_ and _gi_ Misao had supplied and ducked behind the screen that offered her a semblance of privacy. She wondered what sort of connection Kenshin had to his Shishou. And if it had something to do with their gifts. Partway through her change of clothing, she paused as something occurred to her. Hesitantly, she peaked around the corner of the screen to find Kenshin moodily tapping his fingers against the spine of the book he had been reading.

It was the first real sign of impatience she had seen from him.

"Misao said that the ninja clan bred for certain gifts."

Narrowed eyes studied her. "Why the sudden interest, Kaoru?"

She curled her hands into fists, ducking back behind the screen. "I was just wondering if all gifts were a family trait."

She finished tying her _hakema_ and turned, stumbling a little when Kenshin was _right there_. He didn't catch her, but followed her until she was pressed into the wall. As he seemed to have a habit of doing now, he curled his fingers in loose strands of hair.

"Why the sudden interest," he repeated, lashes lowering the hide the glitter she could feel.

Kaoru swallowed, uneasy at the sudden intensity of his interest. "I… I told you that I thought the other woman was an empath. It's been bothering me. I've been trying to understand why."

Kenshin arched a brow, tugging on her hair. His tone was edged when he spoke. "You were nearly ripped apart."

Kaoru couldn't stop the reflexive flinch at the memory. She reached out and curled her fingers into his gi, suddenly wanting contact. When he didn't move to shake her off, she lowered her gaze, thinking. "She felt… not familiar, but there was something recognizable about her – as if she _should have been_ familiar."

Another of those faint tugs. "What else. You said they mentioned their Master."

He hadn't moved, but he suddenly felt closer. Kaoru bit her bottom lip, trying to concentrate. Eyes shut, she shook her head. "I don't know. There is something else I just can't seem to remember."

He leaned forward, physically pressing against the length of her for a moment. "Walk me through it."

She glanced up. His gaze held hers. Instead of the impatience she had expected, his expression was almost stern – layered with consideration. She tightened her grip on his _gi_. "What?"

"When did you know you were being followed?"

Again, no impatience just a firm question and an unwavering gaze that was holding her in place.

"Misao wanted to start trying to use a shield on my own. Something felt… wrong." Her eyes unfocused as she tried to work past the trauma of her gift turning against her to _remember_. "Misao agreed with me – said that if it felt wrong we could head back, but they attacked her. She just… fell over."

His nose brushed her temple. She was starting to expect the way her muscles relaxed when he did something like that. Her usual wariness didn't manifest itself and she swallowed. "Go on."

"That woman, she looked… tortured." Kaoru shook her head, fighting the urge to curl into him. How to describe what looking at someone so… physically destroyed while feeling an echo of that same terrible pain radiating off her? The memory made her teeth hurt and it was a physical pain that started to pound in her head. Shivering, she gasped when her gift flashed off her, pushing against Kenshin the same way it had when she was trying to handle the death of the girl in the alley. He went tense in front of her, and she glanced up to see his eyes bleed to pale gold, an edge of violence behind the calculation.

"Her. Not me." She whispered, finding her voice. Some of fury melted away but his body pressed her tightly into the wall. The immediate area darkened at the force of his temper and she swallowed, watching his face.

The rage was there, but he wasn't hurting her with it.

"She said…" Kaoru swallowed, shaking her head. "He said it. _He_ said… that I had been hidden form the Master for so long… he was happy. Then he told her to bind me and I..."

Those hard, yellow eyes never left her face.

"I think somehow… she wanted me to replace her." Kaoru sifted through the feelings of that moment – emotional hurt that had been muted somehow – to the niggling urge that told her she should have _known_ that woman. That somehow she did. "They were surprised I managed to hide for as long as I had… so _how_ did they find me?"

She watched the frown on his face and swallowed. The next few words were whispered. "So that's why I was wondering if gifts were passed through families."

Kenshin seemed to consider those words, the edges of his mouth turned down. But then he stepped back, impatience flickering through his _ki_. She blinked as she watched him visibly control himself and before motioning her to follow him.

"We will finish this discussion in a moment."

Baffled, she padded after him. He kept them away from the hallways that were the direct connection to the restaurant, instead taking them outside before she entered an area she hadn't seen before. It was clearly an office but her perusal was interrupted by the entrance of a man even larger than Sano.

Hiko Seijirou was not what she expected. Kenshin was built along such slim lines for the power that he wielded, but this man carried a sense of force. She flinched a little when Kenshin suddenly dropped the shields he had raised as they left the room and the punch of whatever Hiko was washed through her gift. Whatever his gift was, it was not the cool slide of death that Kenshin carried.

"I am pleasantly surprised to see that the idiot hasn't managed to kill you yet."

Kaoru barely managed to keep from gaping at him. The burst of irritation from Kenshin was almost as startling as the impatient amusement from Hiko. Finally managing to push her bemusement back, she glanced over at Kenshin from beneath her lashes. He had sealed the room and his jaw was a tight line of irritation.

Finally realizing that Hiko was waiting on a response she laced her fingers together. "Thank you."

Nodding, he sat down and stared at her for a moment before turning that dark eyed stare onto Kenshin who seemed to be… almost resigned. She frowned a little, studying the emotional byplay between them and wondered why Kenshin had let her shields go so that her gift could roam. Granted, Hiko seemed to be amused by the situation, but why was he letting her have that ability during this meeting?

"I see you actually paid attention at our previous discussion. She seems healthy enough, although I imagine it's just a matter of time before you screw that up as well."

Kaoru blinked when Hiko reached behind him and returned with a sake jar in hand. Kaoru looked over at Kenshin who had his arms crossed and a flat, irritated expression on his face. Biting down on her lip, she suddenly found the situation amusing.

"Kaoru believes that she might be related to the empath she killed."

The statement killed any amusement she might have felt as seeing Kenshin as close to fidgeting as she ever would. The surge of attention made her uncomfortable. She glanced over at Hiko who was swallowing a long pull of sake. He pinned her with the force of his stare.

"Do you?"

Kaoru frowned. His question wasn't exactly mocking but it put her back up. "I… I am not certain. But there was an odd familiarity to the woman in the alley. The man with her spoke of a Master and that I had managed to hide from him. I wasn't certain how the gifts worked, so I asked if they were familial." She refused to fidget.

Hiko sighed. "I don't nearly have the sake required for this."

Kenshin muttered something too low to catch and straightened. "It might explain how they located her."

"Your _stupidity_ also accounts for how they located her – if she was related to them, then her half-blood status helped hide her, which _you_ ruined. Assuming your reports are coherent, then that mess with Jineh could have clued someone in that her gift had awakened. I don't even want to mention the Yukishiro problem – two chances to be stupid and you managed it both times."

Kaoru knew she was gaping. Kenshin's eyes had narrowed into slits and she felt the boil of his temper but he leashed it. This was a new side to Kenshin she hadn't expected to see. Hiko seemed oblivious or uncaring about the rising tension.

Hiko sighed. "I'll spell it out for you, since it appears that your mate is the only hope for any reasonable thought process. As long as you shield her, they will not be able to find her. Do not let them find her. By now they know who you are if they didn't before – they'll be hunting."

Kaoru swallowed. Her knuckles went white with tension and she determinedly held herself together. The echo of that memory, the absolute agony both emotional and physical, terrified her. She felt Kenshin stare at her but she kept her gaze away from him. They wanted to hide her. Rather, Hiko wanted to hide her. She didn't know what Kenshin wanted. But the idea of being put somewhere safe like a child rankled.

There was a soft knock on the door and the shields wavered. Shinomori walked in and carefully bowed. Kaoru blinked. The movement was similar to what Soujiro had done, but not as low. Frowning, she realized she still didn't know what had happened after Yukishiro had kidnapped her.

"Misao is awake."

Kaoru glanced over at Kenshin, who was still watching her with that moody expression. Finally he sighed, tilting his head in silent agreement. Surprised and pleased, she sent her thanks quietly along the bond. She watched as he stilled, eyes narrowing a little at the edges but he didn't stop her as she slipped out of the room.

A small, dark haired woman only a few inches taller than Misao was waiting on her. "I'm Okon.

I'll take you to Misao."

X

Kenshin frowned to himself, considering that little burst of pleased happiness that Kaoru had given him. His gift had absorbed it, pulling it deep and the edge that always rode him – the need to kill – had eased again. It was one thing for her to share during sex, for her gift to sink into his skin and press tightly against him as he touched her; for him to absorb each bright flare of power and store it deep in his own gift. It was another for her to willing share during the day. The information they had managed to dig out of their library had been little to none about her gift.

The basics were still there: she required touch, she needed to feel him and she needed him to help feed the demands of her gift. She would thrive on emotion and in return, that emotion would become a weapon. Especially now that she had broken the barrier that was supposed to keep her from killing; his instincts were pleased by her ability to protect herself.

And yet…

"If you are done day dreaming, perhaps we can begin this conversation. I am nearly out of sake."

Shinomori stepped in. "Soujiro has little to report regarding Yukishiro. He is working through the more populated portions of the city, but it appears that wherever he has disappeared to he is well hidden."

"It is impossible that someone else found him first." Kenshin reminded them.

Hiko studied him. "If so, then it is entirely possible that our old enemy has been keeping a closer watch on you than we had anticipated."

Kenshin arched a brow. "Difficult, as before Kaoru I hardly stayed in one place more than a few days."

"I sincerely doubt you managed to keep as low a profile as you thought." Hiko returned. He glanced over at Shinomori. "It was your mate who knew who Yukishiro was, correct?"

"Yes."

"So what did she find that you two didn't manage?"

Aoshi paused. "I'll discuss it with her."

"See that you do." Hiko glanced down at the jar in hand and sighed before finishing it. "Kaoru's thought that she might be related to the empath is a good one. I examined what remained of the woman and I am uncomfortable with the conclusions that must be drawn. This 'master' has long been a thorn in our side – an un-findable one. If he has indeed managed to exploit a family line of empaths then keeping Kaoru out of this will not be an option. The empath she killed was drained and tortured – it is nearly impossible to steal such a gift, but he may be trying."

Kenshin frowned. "Kaoru had the impression that the dead empath wanted her to replace her."

"If Yukishiro is indeed working for our enemy, then he will likely make a play for her in the next few days. Try not to let your usually idiocy screw up your chance to remove him. When this is over, I fully expect both Yukishiro and this 'master' to be dealt with."

"Of course, Shishou."

Hiko grunted and dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Go away. I need some peace and quiet to consider exactly what needs to be done to minimize your stupidity. Since I am low on sake, your presence is guaranteed to give me a headache."

X

"You look good."

Misao hunched a little, her braid brushing her cheek. She had her color back and the feel of her without actively looking was whole. There was a spark that had been missing and Kaoru was relieved to see that she hadn't managed to kill her.

"That's because he _bound us_. He hit me when I couldn't fight and he _tied us together_." Her mouth twisted. "We're _mated_."

Kaoru blinked at the way the world tilted – it hadn't become second nature yet, and it took a moment for her to understand what her gift was showing her. The usual darkness of Misao's gift was tightly intertwined with what she assumed was Aoshi's. Kaoru frowned at it, taking in the way both gifts seemed to be attempting to meld into each other. She wondered if that was her and Kenshin's bond looked like.

More importantly, those areas in Misao's _ki_ that Kaoru hadn't done more than tie loosely together were being held together by those stubborn, foreign bits of gift. The weakness in her personal shielding was also being held firmly together. It explained why Misao seemed to be healing so quickly – Shinomori seemed to be holding together the healing by force of will.

She wondered if Kenshin had done something similar. Misao curled her fingers into fists, eyes sparking and Kaoru reached out and caught the edge of Misao's _yukata_. Her gift roamed her, looking for any weaknesses that Shinomori might have missed and Kaoru was relieved to find none.

"You almost died," Kaoru swallowed back her emotions. "Whoever that was, they shredded your ability to keep your _ki_ and gift separated. It was…"

How to explain to a friend that you had to rearrange her life force so she didn't destroy herself? How did you explain concepts of gifts and _ki_ that somehow translated themselves into silk and steel inside her mind? That she could have died because she just didn't know what she was doing most of the time?

"Aoshi said you put me back together."

Kaoru nodded, fingers curled tightly together. "Yes. But not soon enough. I wasn't sure what I did would work."

Misao pressed her lips together and sighed. "Thank you."

Kaoru shook her head and hesitated before speaking. "I wouldn't have been able to manage it without Shinomori. From what I can see he's holding together the… work I did, keeping it in place. I don't know enough to explain why this is important, but it is."

Misao's expression tightened. The flare of rage took Kaoru off guard and she flinched. To Kaoru's absolute shock, her gift was suddenly locked down by Kenshin – blocking her ability to feel or see Misao through her gift. Blinking rapidly, she caught the sudden surprise on Misao's face.

"Was that… Himura?" She asked finally, her brows tucking together.

"Yes," Kaoru said. "He's been… I don't know. The attack…"

Misao closed her eyes for a moment and then shook herself. "I apologize. I should know better than to let my emotions run like that when you are unshielded." She took a deep breath. "Can you tell me what happened? I don't remember much."

Kaoru licked her lips before quietly going back over the events. Misao looked disturbed at how easily they had taken her down and her expression went tight when Kaoru explained what she had done. How she had killed the other empath and the consequences.

"It appears that I owe you more than one debt."

Kaoru frowned. "I don't understand."

"I'll explain some other time," Misao diverted, slender hands waving. "So you think that you might somehow be related to this other empath. And Hiko and Himura agree."

"They didn't… disagree." Kaoru said slowly. "I'm not sure what to think about how they feel on it. I'm more confused by Kenshin. He's been… different."

Misao hesitated before sighing gustily. "It would appear that in order to put your gift back in place, he had to examine both of you. I don't know what it means, but I imagine it changed whatever was between you. You said Aoshi was holding me together."

Kaoru nodded. "Yes."

Misao curled one hand into a white-knuckled fist and pressed it to her chest. "I can feel Aoshi, here. And I'm very, very good at blocking people – I can't dislodge him. I've tried. I'm so angry with him for doing this to me after everything else that I can barely contain it yet, he's there. Anchoring me, holding me together so I don't shatter and _I can feel him_. Aoshi's gift is… subtle in comparison to either you or Himura's. I imagine that something very similar occurred between you and Himura – I would put money down that he had to let you in just as tightly. Empaths are… different, in that your gift directly relates to gifts and emotions. You _need_ emotions. If you are here in his chest, the way Shinomori is in mine, it just might be that you're softening him from the inside out."

Kaoru bit her lip at Misao's firm voice. She honestly believed that Kenshin was changing because of her. She wondered what had happened between Misao and Shinomori. Misao had claimed they were mates now, so she supposed that grumbling she had overhead a few times in the dojo meant that they had recognized each other in the past but had done nothing about it. Misao's expression was tight around the lips so Kaoru changed the subject.

"Can you tell me what happened with Yukishiro?"

Misao blinked at the sudden change in topic. "Yukishiro?"

"Yes. I don't know what happened after he took me. But Kenshin was very angry with Soujiro the last time we saw him."

Misao tilted her head. "He attacked Kenshin, when Yukishiro appeared. Kenshin almost killed him. I interfered, because I realized what we were dealing with." At Kaoru's confused glance she shrugged. "I didn't spend the years on the road doing nothing. I'd heard rumors of Yukishiro but hadn't had anything confirmed until he stole you."

Kaoru sighed. This whole thing was confusing. She agreed with Misao that it was likely that her gift was having an impact on Kenshin. It would explain the way he seemed to be irritated at himself and the anger she could feel that he wasn't always directing at her. But… even her first morning in Kyoto, she had sensed a shift. He had still bullied her into what he wanted but there had been a… lack of threat, or at least the kind of threat that had left him pinning her to the dojo.

Now was not the time to think about this.

Not when she could see the hurt behind Misao's eyes. Something inside Kaoru just wouldn't let her drop the subject, even it really wasn't any of her business. Misao was her friend and it was almost her own physical pain to see how deep Misao's hurt went.

"Misao…" she paused and considered exactly how to word this. "I know that you… whatever happened between you and Shinomori was bad. I can feel it. But Kenshin and I, we didn't start out well either. You are right when you say he is changing but I think only part of it is because of his contact with my gift. I can't explain it."

Explain that gut-deep knowing that this had started before she was so badly hurt. That it wasn't so much a _changing_ as an acceptance. She just didn't know _what_ he had accepted.

"Maybe you should talk to Shinomori."

Misao tensed, eyes darkening. Kaoru held up her hand. "I'm not saying what he did was right – whatever that was. But I felt the depth of how much it hurt. I _felt_ it, Misao. I'm not saying you have to let it go and forgive him, but I think you need to know. Because you're stuck with him the way I'm stuck with Kenshin and that can hurt too. _I know_."

Misao finally loosened enough to nod. "Alright. I can do that." Misao grimaced. "I suppose I owe you an apology too."

Kaoru blinked. "Why?"

"I figured it was just a matter of time before you and Himura worked this out. He's… different with you, has been since the moment I appeared. I suppose I didn't realize how much it can hurt to have this forced on you. So for that, I am sorry."

Kaoru reached over and squeezed her hand. "I forgive you."

X

Yahiko stared up at the open skyline and sighed. The roof was a good enough place to hide from the crazy omitsu downstairs. Trying to get him to wait on tables, as if he didn't do enough of that in Tokyo – he liked Kaoru enough to help out. Didn't really see much of a reason to help out here, not when they blocked him from doing anything interesting or finding out what was going on with Kaoru. No one was talking about the last two days and what it had meant when Battousai had gone all dark on them, sealing both of them behind wards that dug in and bleed if you were too close.

He'd heard she was okay now, but the relief inside had been tangible. Even the damn healer had walked around on eggshells, face pale. Eyes narrowing, Yahiko pondered that. Something was up with her and he was almost bored enough to care.

"I thought I might find you up here sulking."

Yahiko turned and scowled at Sano. "I'm _not_ sulking."

"Sure you're not."

Feeling annoyed, Yahiko stuck his tongue out. "Whatever."

Sano snorted and sat down, mouth moving along the fishbone he had picked up from somewhere. "Jou-chan is up and moving."

Yahiko eyed him from the corner of his eyes. "Yeah, _I_ know. How do you know? And where the hell have you been the last few days? I can't turn around without running into one of those damn ninja, but you I can't seem to find."

Sano ignored him. "Battousai seems to be keeping her under wraps again – stupid bastard. Still, heard that there was a bit of a tussle in the kitchen this morning when he showed up and got her breakfast."

Yahiko stared at him, irritation derailed. "Battousai got her _breakfast_? Like, _human_ food?"

"Seems to be the rumor," Sano agreed. Megumi had looked particular pinched this morning when one of the men who loitered around Misao's room had commented on Battousai's behavior, but that might have been due to their conversation. He wished he knew what was going on inside her head. She'd been either avoiding him or sticking close to other people.

"That's… weird, really weird." Yahiko muttered, "I didn't think Battousai cared enough about anyone to help out like that. Especially with everything we've been hearing about how Misao is training her. They actually had to go and bleed some customer out the other day to feed her. Why is he giving her an actual meal now?"

Sano shrugged. Actually feeding someone a human meal or a meal from a cup did the same for a vampire – what they really needed was blood and _ki_. _Ki_ was best absorbed from feeding straight from the source. What he found interesting was that something had changed enough between them that Battousai seemed to be willing to let her eat human food in-between feedings to extend the time Kaoru needed in-between. And for someone who had been human for seventeen years, eating would be more of a comfort than anything else.

Strange from a vampire who seemed so determined to cut any reminder of her human life before he changed her. But if anyone stood a chance of wiggling into a soft spot, it was Jou-chan. He didn't think Battousai rounded up breakfast – human food – for anyone.

"It's Kaoru; we already know she finds a way to get to you." Sano shrugged. "She's probably doing the same thing to him she did to us."

Yahiko leaned back, cradling his head on his, mouth pinched. "You think he'll let us see her?"

Sano reached over and knuckled his hair. "No harm in trying."

"Stop that!"

"So now that's out of the way, what's _really_ bothering you?"

Yahiko hunched his shoulders and scowled, averting his gaze. "Nothing."

Sano frowned at him. Usually Yahiko at least attempted to put some credence in his lies. This was just out right being stubborn. "Kid, your gift is foresight. At your age, sometimes that means all your going to get is a feeling. Something is clearly riding you. So what the hell is it?"

"_Don't call me kid_! And I know _that_, okay? I _know_. I don't even know if it's a feeling. It's just…" he frowned. Brown eyes narrowed with frustration and sat back up, fists clenching on top of his thighs. "This whole business with Kaoru being attacked for a third time? It just makes me itchy and I _don't know_ _why_."

Sano paused and considered. Yahiko had always had an interesting connection with Kaoru. As far as he'd been able to tell, whatever sense she had knocked into his head with her bokken had seemed to endear her to him. Shit. No wonder the kid was tied up in knots about not being able to see her.

He sighed. This whole reassuring thing was woman's work.

"You'll know when she's in trouble."

Yahiko fisted his hands, eyes darkening. "I got lucky with Gohei. I don't know why I knew then, but now? It's just a buzz. I can't pinpoint anything! Not Yukishiro and not whatever happened three days ago!"

Which was a problem. Sano had been around Yahiko long enough to know that the kid always had a startling ability to catch slivers of the future – even when it meant nothing important. Foresight was a tricky gift – almost as much as the empathy Kaoru was carrying around. Being in a city this densely populated with vampires and full of possibilities wasn't helping him with clarity either.

And it was way, way out of Sano's league.

"Have you talked to someone about it? Shinomori might have some answers."

Yahiko grimaced. "I'd talk to Misao but they're keeping her visitors to a minimal too. I snuck into the scroll room – can't find anything."

Sano frowned at him. Sneaking into the Oniwabanshu room of records probably hadn't been the smartest idea. Interesting that Yahiko seemed so assured that no one had caught him. Seemed like this was going to fall on his shoulders to handle for the time being. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. At least it was something to do other than worry about that damn healer.

"Well, I'll see what I can dig up myself. We'll figure it out."

Yahiko swallowed. "Yeah. I guess so."

Sano stood. "Well, you coming?"

"Going where?"

"To find out what the hell is going on with Kaoru. The way I figure it, he can't keep her locked up forever."

Yahiko paused, eyes going a little unfocused before he frowned and shook himself. "Yeah, I'm right behind you."

X

Enishi studied the layout of the Aoiya and grimaced. Getting inside was going to be nearly impossible – at least if he didn't want to be detected. The little omitsu group was better prepared to handle an attack than Kamiya's dojo had been. It was abundantly clear that someone was gifted in shielding and that they had set up a series of overlapping triggers. While Shinomori's gift was difficult to place, it wasn't hard to miss this blatant little pocket of power.

He tilted his head, considering. A distraction was possible. Distractions were always possible. The problem was that even with his limited ability to sense the gift that Kamiya carried – their gifts were in the same family – he had been unable to find the slightest hint of her existence. It meant that Himura had finally realized that she was being tracked and had buried her under shielding.

If he was that aware of her now then it was possible they were too closely connected to separate easily. Enishi sighed. This entire operation was turning sloppy. There was a lack of elegance in the way his Master had chosen to go about handling his lost little empath. Even if they did manage to separate Kamiya – if she had in fact been the one to kill the old hag, then there was no telling what she could do to defend herself. He had seen what those caged empaths did if they were let lose – he had no desire to share the same fate.

Even if the purpose was to drain her gift dry – to use her connection to Battousai against him and finally break the hold Hiko had on the vampires, they had not yet found a way to contain Battousai. Forcefully breaking their mating bond – if it was at all possible – would be disastrous.

And yet that was exactly what his Master wished to do.

Enishi pushed his hands into his pockets and moved away from the Aoiya. It was time to do some serious consideration. Eventually he would have Battousai's head. His sister demanded it. But until then…

"Heishin, it is time we spoke."

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